The Wind
by fictionalheart
Summary: Kate comes to a realization regarding her past that causes an important shift in her present reality. Takes place vaguely after 2.15. Now, AU. C/B.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note:_ _This is the result of my inability to sleep and the very noisy wind that has been gusting outside for the last couple of hours. I've been meaning to write a Castle fic for while now as I've had many ideas, but this is the first one that I've managed to complete._

_I took the liberty of interpreting Kate's parents' relationship in my own way. The show has given us no credible reason to believe they were apart, but nothing has really confirmed that they were still together. Yes, they were meant to have dinner together the night Johanna was murdered, and yes, Kate wears her ring, but I tried to explain those facts alternatively. I, personally, think that my interpretation is a possibility. I also decided to make Kate's grandmother an important part of her life, as that could contribute to why she so admires Castle's family dynamic._

_This is my first fanfic in many, many years, so I would appreciate any feedback you might have. Thank you, in any case, for reading._

Disclaimer: I do not own _Castle, _its characters or any of the elements it is composed of.

* * *

Kate Beckett closed her eyes as she listened to the wind. She had arrived at her family's brownstone shortly after wrapping up an especially grueling case that afternoon, hoping to find solace in the only remaining relative from her mother's side of her particularly tiny family. She had spent the evening sipping wine with her grandmother, reminiscing the bygone days of her childhood. She smiled, replaying the images the recent conversations had awoken. She saw herself at three years old, sitting on the canapé in the living room of the very same townhouse she lay in now, playing with a favorite doll as her mother and grandmother sat across the coffee table, sipping tea and engaging in carefree conversation. She saw herself, now six years old, strolling down Madison Avenue, hand in hand with her mother, stopping every few feet to admire a window display, on their weekly outing that would end in sharing a treat at her favorite ice cream parlor. Now ten, she stepped through customs at JFK, arriving home from her summer trip to Italy, and rushed into the waiting arms of her father.

A loud thump drew her from her reverie. A snowstorm was beginning to brew, causing the wind to gust alarmingly as it caused the trees outside her window and across the street in the park to swish incessantly, occasionally making the house creak, hinting at its age and the history that lay within its walls. Kate shuddered and turned over on her childhood bed to look at the time, sighing as she realized half the night had gone by and she had yet to doze off.

What _would_ her mother say if she could see her now? Kate knew that had her family never been the victims of a gruesome crime, had her mother still been alive today, she would not be doing the job she was today. She would not be leading the life she was living. She would have followed in her mother's footsteps, determined to make proud. She would have gone to law school and thrived. Kate couldn't help but wonder if her mother would approve of her now. She had an inkling that she would be disappointed to see what she had become.

Despite the fact that her daughter's career wasn't what she would have imagined it to be, Johanna would have been genuinely proud of the work Katherine did everyday. She would be proud of her only child for doing what she believed in at the very best of her ability. She would be honored to see that her daughter had devoted her career and her _life_ to solving her murder, and on the way, bringing justice to countless other families . After all, a homicide detective enforced the law and helped make the world a better place. Yet, Katherine's life resembled nothing the young girl had dreamily described to her mother as her ideal future, and she was right to assume that her mother would have been sorely disappointed in her. Though, as much as Kate liked to pretend her mother's reason for disappointment had to do with her career, she knew it was nothing of the sort.

While Johanna Beckett had been a strongly career driven woman, she had been equally passionate and loving. Her consuming career as a young partner at her family's law firm had cost her her marriage when Kate was still a toddler. This made her realize that though she had lost her husband, she could hardly afford to lose her only child, as well. She had consequently stepped down after she had sufficiently contributed to her daughter's trust and ensured her a comfortable future, and soon after, assumed a position at Columbia as a law professor. While this allowed her to continue to intellectually challenge herself on a daily basis, it also allowed her to spend more time with her young child, as well as with her mother.

Soon after her divorce, Johanna had decided to move back in to her parents' home. Her father had passed away before she had even met Jim Beckett, and her mother was thrilled by her decision to return home. Both women wanted Kate to constantly be around those who loved her, never handed off to a nanny, and never left to feel alone. The three women had lived happily together, close as can be. Johanna was happy to see that Kate always had their support, as well as that of her father whenever she needed him. This recognition allowed her to believe that she had instilled upon her daughter the notion that living a life filled with love and laughter was the only way to truly be happy.

That is why she would have been acutely disappointed in her child, and Kate was well aware of it.

Kate had been only nineteen when Johanna had been murdered. She had chosen to continue living at home, wanting to stay close to her family, and was, hence, studying pre-law at Columbia. Her parents had made an effort to remain civil after their divorce, and they often went to dinner together with their daughter. It was on the night of one of these monthly dinners that tragedy had struck. Kate had spent the weekend with her father, and the two sat joking in the restaurant, waiting for Johanna to join them. They never would have imagined her reason for being late.

Her death had caused all of their lives to spin out of control. Jim, who had never fallen out of love with his wife, drowned himself in alcohol. Kate, whose vision of an untraditional but happy world had shattered, dreamt of vengeance and bringing Johanna's killer to justice. Only her mother, though completely heartbroken, had kept it together, knowing that she had to be Kate's rock and provide her with a shoulder to cry on as well as a safe haven.

Kate finished her undergraduate degree, entered the Police Academy, and threw herself into her unexpected career and spent her every spare moment on solving her mother's murder. She forced herself to toughen up, decided to live on her own and, to her grandmother's horror, moved into a third floor walk-up in lower Manhattan. She refused to see her father, who by then had become a full blown alcoholic, and avoided her grandmother, having convinced herself that nearing her family and allowing herself to be involved in their emotional complications would cause her to soften up and break. She worked day in and day out, emerged as a promising detective, and scoured her mother's case file. Yet, her attempts to stay strong and work through all the hurdles failed.

Two years into her career, she became exhausted and suffered a nervous breakdown. She had been forced to go on leave, had given up her apartment and gone to stay with her grandmother until she convalesced. Six weeks later, she had recovered her strength, and due to the nurturing environment of her childhood, regained her mental composure. In this time, she had salvaged one of the two most important remaining relationships in her life, and her recovery had allowed her to realize that she needed to save the other. So, she had intervened in her father's habits, checked in on him regularly, and eventually forced him into a rehabilitation center that finally allowed Jim Beckett to return to sobriety. In short, she had saved his life.

In the five years since then, Kate had moved into a new apartment, returned to the 12th Precinct, picking up where she left off, and blossomed into one of the best and brightest detectives the city had seen in many years. Yet, she was not happy with the life she lead, and she knew her mother would not be either. This was not the life either of them had envisioned for her.

Despite having opened herself up to her remaining family, Kate had remained closed off to the world. She had few friends, dated rarely, and attempted to avoid forming any relationship that dared to end in even more heartbreak.

Some might say Kate Beckett had become a career driven woman, a woman who would have eerily reminded Johanna of herself at Kate's age. Only, while Johanna had managed to find a love (albeit a love that she did not value enough to hold onto) that had resulted in the one child she cherished more than anything else in her short life, this one child had closed herself off to any such possibility.

Kate had convinced herself that she was letting her mother down every day she failed to find her killer. In this way, she justified her lonely existence. She had convinced herself that she didn't deserve to be truly happy, to allow herself to move on once and for all until she put the person responsible for her death behind bards. For this reasoning, Johanna would have been exceedingly disappointed in her Katherine.

The only thing Johanna wanted from her daughter was not for her to devote her life to chasing the past, but for her to devote herself to fulfilling her dreams. Johanna would have wanted her to fight for the future the eight year old Katherine Beckett had rambled on about during their weekly strolls. She would have wanted her to open her heart and learn to be happy again.

Kate fiddled with her mother's engagement ring as she finally forced herself to realize what exactly would have made her sad to see her now. She wound the delicate chain around her finger as she listened to the wind, contemplating the meaning of the ring. Her mother had put it aside for Kate soon after her divorce. She hadn't wanted to dispose of the symbol of her commitment to Kate's father, because not only did she not resent him, but she was thankful for what had culminated from their relationship. She had wanted Kate to have a symbol of her parents' love to keep throughout her life, to comfort her in her darkest moments, and she felt that her ring was just that. Johanna had given Kate the ring on her eighteenth birthday, telling her that she wanted her to embark on her adult life closed to cynicism and open to love.

Twirling the ring around in the dark, Kate remembered those words. Maybe, she thought, it was time she took her mother's advice. She hadn't caught the person responsible for her death, but she had caught her killer. _Maybe_, it was time that she allowed herself to move on a little farther in her life. She would continue to try and close Johanna's case, but maybe she would be more successful if she allowed herself to be happy in the meantime. Maybe, she needed to open up her heart and allow someone to join her in this journey.

Kate allowed herself to smile slightly at this thought, because she knew _exactly_ who would allow her to be happy.

For this realization, she knew her mother would have irrefutably proud.

Maybe, _now_ she would be able to fall asleep.

* * *

_Edit__: I found a few distracting typos that I could not leave be. I am, however, working on a follow up that will be uploaded soon._


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note:_

_I had originally meant for this to be a one-shot, but everything I've attempted to write since this weekend fell into this same universe. That and I was further encouraged by your wonderful reviews to do a follow-up. I'm not sure just how long this fic will be, but I'm planning on a couple more chapters. _

_First of all, I am aware that I have yet to mention Castle by name. I was surprised that I avoided it even in the first chapter, so I surely didn't plan on omitting it in the second. Yet, somehow, I like that his name has not been mentioned. I, however, assure you that will soon no longer be the case._

_Second, I tend to seriously over analyze things in life, and that seems to have turned this into a rather reflective piece. So, again, I will say that I am planning on making the next chapters somewhat more eventful. Yet, the writers of the show have left us with a lot to explore in terms of Kate's background and character, so I hope you don't find the piece to be too contemplative. _

_Third, I seem to do most of my writing between one and two in the morning, so I apologize for any typos I missed while proofreading. I will fix any potential errors tomorrow. _

_Last but certainly not least, I greatly appreciated your reviews and would love some more feedback on this chapter 3 _

Disclaimer: _Castle_ belongs to ABC.

* * *

By the time Kate awoke the next morning, the city had been covered in over a foot of snow, and the combined commotion of the wind and traffic had been replaced by a rare tranquility. The trees that had swished the night before were now frozen, the park they stood in turned into a white expanse amid the city structures. The streets had been cleared, but as the snow was still falling and accumulating, few cars had ventured out. It was just the kind of morning Kate had loved in her youth. She would start the day sitting by her window, as she was now, making plans that consisted either of ice skating and making snow angels in Central Park with her dad, who rarely missed spending the day in the snow with his daughter, or sitting by the fireplace in her mom's study, reading as she worked on a case. It didn't really matter what she did on such a day because, to her, snow meant contentment. The still immaculate snow she saw from her window had, in her youth, always reminded her of fresh possibilities that brought excitement and joy. Kate smiled at the memory of her naivety, as, in later years, she associated possibility with fear and danger.

Yet, despite her pessimistic convictions of late, she now felt the pure anticipation of her youth instead of gnawing fear as she thought of the possibilities that lay in front of her. She had come to terms with an important truth before falling asleep, and doing so had caused her to awake feeling hopeful.

_Hope_.

Hope was something Katherine Beckett had not felt in years.

Determination, yes. Professionally, she thrived due to determination on a daily basis. She was determined to close every single case she was given authority over. She was determined to bring murderers to justice, and by doing so, determined to bring closure to heartbroken families. She was determined to draw from every case, to use her experience to close a much more personal case. In other words, she was determined, more than anything, to find the man who hired Dick Coonan and bring the man responsible for Johanna Beckett's murder to justice.

Personally, she fared no better. She was determined not to let her father slip back into alcoholic despair. She was determined not to let anyone get too close, to see the real her. She was determined not to let anyone cause her anymore pain or heartbreak. She was determined not to let childish writer get to her, and if he did, not to let him know it. She was determined not to fall in love unless she was a thousand percent sure happiness would be the only outcome. More than that, however misguided she might have been, she was determined not to allow herself that happiness until she found her mother's killer.

Yet, despite her determination, Kate Beckett had failed. Determination normally brought her success, but, as she had learned in the last year, a tall, _wordy_ arrival in her universe rarely provided her with the outcomes she had come to anticipate. The puerile, yet caring man had changed her. She found that she laughed more, smiled more, felt more. He had brought down some of her defenses, and, if she were completely honest with herself, the thought that someone cared enough to do so brought her the closest to _happy_ that she had been in the last decade. Because of that, she was willing to admit that maybe, just maybe, it was alright not to keep all of her resolutions.

After all, she had just realized that, sometimes, letting go of the past was for the best, and her intention to keep the writer at an arms's length was the first thing she needed to dismiss. Her mother needed her to be happy and open to love, and Kate was determined to do whatever it took to be so, even if it meant changing some of her priorities.

But, before doing anything drastic, Kate wanted to spend as much of the day as possible just as she would have as an adolescent. Already having dressed for the weather in a dark green, cashmere shift, leggings, and chestnut riding boots, she paused in front of the many framed pictures she had splayed out on her dresser. She looked at all of them, lingering over her favorite. A five year old Kate Beckett, dressed in a dark green jumper that complemented her chestnut mane, sat on her mom's lap, enveloped in a smiling Johanna's arms. The now thirty-one year old Kate brushed her fingers across the smooth ceramic frame, vowing to fulfill both female's dreams. Satisfied with her newest resolution, she turned away and headed down the stairs to join her grandmother for a long breakfast.

* * *

After having dawdled in the kitchen, as her grandmother always insisted they eat breakfast and drink their morning tea in a more intimate setting, for long enough, Kate moved over to home's library, a room that had once been Johanna's, and before that, he grandfather's studies. Settling into "her" armchair, sandwiched between a bay window and her mother's favorite bookcase, she pulled out her phone to call her father, redundantly hoping he would answer. Just as Kate had distanced herself from him while she was plunging into depression, Jim Beckett had all but ignored his only child as he wallowed in alcohol. Since he had overcome his addiction, he had slowly reformed himself, eventually regaining the man he had been before the love of his life had been murdered. That meant that, now, like before, he would make himself available to his daughter no matter when she needed him. Nonetheless, Kate lived in constant fear that he would relapse, and though she knew she was being silly, was always pleasantly surprised when he answered her calls soon after the first ring. Today was no different.

Reassured that her dad would meet at their sport near the skating rink in an hour, Kate turned around in her arm chair, reaching for a familiar volume from one of her mother's shelves. Johanna Beckett had had a fondness for mystery. She claimed that the novels were entertaining and far fetched and, consequently, loved to distract herself with them. In later years, she especially loved the work of a young crime writer whose writing an eighteen year old Kate, who favored more serious literature at the time, had always mocked. Johanna had collected all of his early books, for she never got to read his more mainstream writing after meeting an end that belonged in one of his novels, and made her daughter read every one, hoping she would eventually come around and learn to enjoy the lighter genre of literature.

Kate smirked at the irony as she held _A Rose For Ever After_ in a firm grasp. That had been Johanna's favorite novel by her young author. Oh, how very well she had known her daughter. She had no way of predicting the impact the man in question would have on Kate's turbulent life. She hadn't known that Kate would turn to her mother's favorite books to console herself after her death. She hadn't known that Kate would be further inspired by his words to become a detective. Johanna had absolutely no way of knowing that Kate would one day become his favorite muse, and she couldn't have possibly known that the novelist would go so far as to capture her daughter's heart. Why, then, had she been so adamant that her daughter grow to appreciate the promising young man's work? Kate shivered as she considered just how eery it all was.

_At least_, she thought, she wouldn't have to worry about whether or not her mother would approve of the move she was getting ready to make.

Opening the book to her and Johanna's favorite chapter, Kate began to read as she waited for the time of her rendez-vous to near.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note__:_

_Four rewrites and five days later, here's chapter three. I'm not quite sure I'm satisfied with it, especially with the second half, but it is what it is. If enough of you think I should rewrite the second half, I may just do so. _

_If Kate's discussion with her father seems redundant, I felt that she needed reassurance that she was making the right choice._

_I'm dedicating this chapter to my best friend, F., who saved this installment with her input. _

Disclaimer: _Castle_ belongs to ABC.

* * *

Walking briskly to prevent the cold from seeping into to her bones, Kate made her way through Central Park. By the time she had finished her tête-à-tête breakfast with her grandmother, the snow had finally stopped, and life had slowly begun to come back to the city. Narrow paths had been unearthed in the sidewalks through the park, allowing those who had ventured out to get by without compromising their cherished shoes.

Kate relished the feel of the crisp air filling her lungs. She hadn't been outside for longer than mere minutes at a time this past week. Her team had been dealt with a particularly complex case, causing her to spend every waking, and even several sleeping, moment at the precinct. The fatigue she had experienced, as a result, made Kate appreciate this unexpected day off all the more.

Spotting the familiar silhouette of her father standing at a distance, Kate made her way over to their designated meeting point by the rink. She saw his face light up as she approached and couldn't help but smile widely in return.

"There's my girl." Jim Beckett observed aloud as he enveloped her in his arms.

Kate sighed contently as she rested her head on his shoulder. _This was going to be a good day_.

* * *

After spending close to an hour on the ice, the cheerful father and daughter duo had tired and made their way over to a favorite diner where they were now lingering over lunch.

"Not that I'm not enjoying spending the day with you, but is there a reason why my workaholic of a daughter isn't working today?"

Kate looked up from the banana split they had been indulging in. She knew the question would inevitably be asked. Sighing, she answered.

"Ryan and Esposito decided to be adventurous once we closed our case and ran to the Captain. Apparently," she paused to roll her eyes, "they were under the impression that I was 'unhealthily overworked' and needed a break after this week's case."

"I see. And what caused them to make such an assumption?" Jim asked, knowing full well that the Detectives were justified in their initiative.

Kate grinned sheepishly. "I may or may not have spent a night or two on the break room couch."

"Katie!! _Again_?!"

"It was an important case! But that's beside the point!"

"Alright. So, what was the Captain's verdict?"

"For some reason, he agreed with them." She rolled her eyes, yet again. "He demanded that I stay away from the precinct for the next few days."

Jim smiled, knowing there was no way his daughter his daughter had not contested the orders. "Ah. Last time he said that, you snuck into the precinct the following afternoon. Should I be worried that you'll be cutting our lovely afternoon short?"

"Yes, well, _last time_, he didn't threaten me with a month of desk duty if I dared to come within two blocks of the Precinct."

"Aha! I always knew I liked that man."

"Dad! Don't make him out to be right!"

He knew better than to contradict her. "Tell me, how did you reward the daring twins for their bravery?"

Kate smirked. "Paperwork. Lots and _lots_ of paperwork."

Jim chuckled in reply.

"Dare I ask if Writer Boy had anything to do with this conspiracy?"

Kate's smirk grew ever so slightly as she replied, "Oh, I'm pretty sure he bribed the boys to run to Montgomery. "

"And yet, you don't seem at all irked by the fact." He waited for a reply as he watched the slightest color blossom in her cheeks. The remotest mention of this man had elicited far more blushes in his daughter than any to come before him. As a father, Jim wanted to say the thought terrified him. However, he could hardly deny that he was happy for his Katie. She hadn't allowed herself enough happiness through the years, and he thought it was about time that changed.

As no response, except for another sheepish smile, came, Jim spoke again with a smile of his own. "That, my dear daughter, is what I thought."

* * *

The pair spent the rest of the afternoon together, strolling through the city, intent on dismissing the cold and enjoying the snow before it was transformed into the lovely, deformed piles of gray ice that would soon adorn the sidewalks.

They reminisced of snow days past. They talked over several of Kate's more fascinating cases of late, dwelling especially on Cano Vega. They discussed Jim's plans to travel more in his first year of retirement. They spoke of just about anything that came to mind. Even so, talk had yet to return to a certain author. He had been mentioned in passing, Kate repeating his jokes or gushing about her latest lunch with Alexis, but the imminent shift in his relationship with Kate had not been discussed. Jim had not wanted to push the topic following Kate's earlier, unspoken admission of sorts, but he was beginning to grow impatient, for he wanted to know why she had yet to act on her feelings.

Meanwhile, Kate reveled in her father's presence. The two were close, but they rarely got to see each other more than once or twice a month, and such meetings often consisted of a quick lunch squeezed into the middle of an investigation, or of a late night stop at a diner to share some ice cream and attempt to catch up. The last month had been been exceptional in regards to Kate's already heavy workload. The earlier cases of the month had been almost as time consuming as the last, and as a result, the two had not seen each other in the already five weeks that had followed Dick Coonan's death.

Kate had been quite open with her father ensuing the reopening of Johanna's case. She had not hesitated to admit to him that, without her partner, for yes, to those unconnected to the precinct, she referred to her wordy sidekick as her partner, she would hardly have been able to get through what they now referred to as "The Coonan Chapter." It had been his words, his unwavering support that had helped her persevere through the case. She had wanted her father to know what the author meant to her. She was well aware that such an admission would strike her father. She had hardly confided in him on such matters in the past, not wanting to draw attention to men that she didn't plan on keeping around.

As such, it had been at their last meeting that Jim Beckett had fully understood the impact the novelist had on Kate's life. Up until then, he had figured there was a simple attraction between the crime writer and his daughter. It wasn't until he learned that Kate had, without hesitation, severed the only known, living tie to Johanna's murder in order to save the author's life, until he heard her speak of all that his support had meant to her throughout the week, or of the pure relief she felt when she realized that he would heed her request and stay by her side, that Jim realized that this man was not simply the irritating yet caring partner his daughter tolerated in her work, but that he was quite possibly her future partner in life.

The pair had grown quiet as they were unknowingly lost in similar trains of thoughts, wondering just how to breach the were now walking down Second Avenue, heading back to Kate's Midtown abode. They had no more than twenty minutes to go and though she genuinely wanted her father's advice, Kate didn't know how to launch into awkward subject.

Jim turned slightly to look at his daughter. She had begun to slightly gnaw at her bottom lip, a tell she had since her childhood that said she was nervous. He knew that she would want to breach the topic on the street, where she could avoid his knowing eyes. Jim, however, needed to reassure his daughter, and to do so, he needed to have this conversation face to face. Several hours had gone by since their lunch and suspecting Kate would be happier discussing the topic if she were warm and refueled on caffeine. Squeezing her arm in reassurance, Jim guided her into the familiar Starbucks at the corner.

* * *

Placing Kate's vanilla latte down next to his cappuccino on the table she had picked in an isolated corner, Jim let her know that the time for stalling was up.

"Spill."

"What do you mean?" There was no way he was referring to what she was thinking about… _Was there?_

Jim smiled reassuringly as he spoke, "You know _exactly_ what I mean."

Kate sighed. _Who had she been kidding?_ _Of course he knew_. At least, he had saved her from starting the discussion.

Her voice barely more than a whisper, she replied, "I'm scared." Looking up, she expected to see confusion in her father's eyes, but, instead, found compassion.

He placed his hand over hers before replying. "I know. You know I've always said that the risks that make us the most apprehensive are the ones worth taking. They're the ones you need to fight for, but they're the ones with the best end results." He paused. "I was scared to death of going after your mother, but look at everything I got out of our relationship."

Kate slightly raised her eyebrows at his example. "But you _lost_ Mom, first with the divorce, then with… You lost her, and then you lost yourself. Dad, I don't want to lose this one."

"Ok, on the surface, that doesn't sound too good. But beyond the surface? Going after Johanna was the best thing I ever did. We may never have made it to our tenth anniversary, but I had seven very happy years with her, two of which were with both of you. Yes, it went downhill after that, but I never, ever regretted marrying her. I got you from our marriage, and you've brought me more happiness than anyone or anything else in life. The joy I got out of our relationship makes up for all of the pain that followed it. After all, isn't it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?"

Kate offered him a small smile and squeezed his hand in support. "I understand that. I just… "

"I know. Listen to me. I can't reassure you that he won't leave you, whether it be by choice or by death, if you start a relationship with him. I can only tell you that if you trust him and if he makes you happier than any other man you've dated, it will be worth the risk. What I _can_ assure you is that, if he ends up hurting you, I will hunt him down and set him straight."

"Thanks, Dad." Kate answered with a soft laugh. "I know that this is what I want, and I know that he's worth the risk. It's just that I'm scared of messing it up, myself." Taking a shaky breath, she explained, "I'm afraid that I won't know how to let him in, and if I do know how, I'm worried that I won't be able to keep my walls down. I don't want to lose him just because _I_ don't know how to be in a relationship anymore." She had been alone for so long that she felt she was justified in her reasoning.

Jim sighed. He knew his daughter had closed herself off since Johanna's death, and it broke his heart to see her struggle so much in simply convincing herself that it was ok to let others in. He was worried that she would talk herself out of pursuing the man she seemed to be falling in love with, and he couldn't stand for that. "Katie, I think you're overanalyzing it. You've managed to let me as well as your grandmother back in. I don't see why you wouldn't be able to let him in if you feel as strongly as you seem to." Wishing for backup, he asked "What did Jacqueline have to say about this?"

Kate's thoughts went back to the morning's conversation with her grandmother. "She said that I needed to ignore my fears and go for it, that no matter how much I thought it over, I had no way of predicting the outcome, and," she paused, smiling anew, "that I would be a fool to let this one get away."

Jim smiled along with her, thankful that her elderly confidante had insisted on the right thing. "You know that's what your mother would have said, as well, don't you?"

Kate nodded thoughtfully. "I know."

"So what are you going to do?"

Taking a deep breath, Kate gave her verdict.

* * *

Walking into her lobby half an hour later, Kate was met by a familiar man rushing up to meet her from his previous perch at the bottom of the staircase.

"Castle?"

* * *

_A/N:_ _Please do not be afraid of the green button. Your reviews are greatly appreciated and make my day! :) _


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note:_

_Every time I work on a chapter, I imagine my former literature professor yelling__ , so I am now attempting to turn my vague outline for this story into something more detailed. Once that is done, I hope to update more frequently. _

_In the meantime, I present to you what I believe to be a somewhat fluffy interlude. _

_Thank you for your lovely reviews for the previous chapter. _

Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own _Castle_ or any of its characters.

* * *

"Beckett!"

To say that she was surprised by the sight that greeted her upon entering her building was an understatement. The previous day, the man now rushing towards her had gone home before she had even attempted to start the closed case's paperwork. At the time, she had achingly attributed his rapid departure to the fact that he had to prepare for a date. To her relief, she now knew that he had fled the precinct in order to escape her wrath in the likelihood that she figured out that he was behind Ryan and Esposito's display of concern for her health.

To say that the sight before her eyes was an unpleasant surprise would be an untruth. She had no idea _why_ he was there, but just being in the same room as him heightened all of her senses and made the effort to suppress the smile that wanted to spread across her face quite difficult. Succeeding, she further obliged herself to assume her usual demeanor.

As he came to face her, they questioned each other simultaneously.

"What are you -"

"Where -"

"- doing here?"

"- have you been?"

Kate crossed her arms. She was not going to answer first. After all, _he_ was the one who was suspiciously camped out in her lobby. _She_ had done nothing meriting an interrogation.

"I've been waiting for you! You wouldn't answer your phone."

_Huh_.

"I turned it off. Mandatory or not, this was a personal day, so I didn't think I would need it." She raised her eyebrow as she saw a slight pout forming on his face.

"But I was worried!" he objected, causing her raised brow to fully arch. "You didn't pick up last night, which I figured was because you were taking a long bath, maybe reading one of my books…" He trailed off, smirking. _Great, he was picturing it_. Sensing she was about to smack him, he rambled on, " But then you didn't pick up this morning, so I called Lanie to see if she knew where you were, and she didn't, so I started to worry that my plan had failed," _Smooth._ "and you had spent the night doing paperwork, so I called Espo, but he said you had indeed been shooed out of the Precinct, so _then_ I started to worry you had passed out of sheer exhaustion before you even made it home, so I decided that it would be best if I came over here myself to assure your wellbeing."

"I see. Ignoring, for a moment, how slightly creepy that all was, how long have you been here?"

"Uh, a while." He grinned sheepishly, unwilling to disclose the exact duration of his wait. After all, she had already implied that his behavior bordered on creepy. "Chester here assured me that he had seen you come home, but that you had him call you a cab right before his shift ended in the evening." Arching her brow anew, she turned her gaze to the man in question who had been attempting to listen in but guiltily looked away from her glare. _Seems like he had managed to charm her normally mum doorman_.

"Care to enlighten me on your whereabouts?"

"What's it to you?" she countered with a slight smile.

"I'm just curious as to why my favorite detective disappeared while no one seemed to know where she was." Wiggling his eyebrows and hoping to provoke her, he continued, "There are so many juicy possibilities."

Kate observed him before answering. He was sporting a playful smile that made it seem like he was relaxed, but his eyes were unable to hide the concern and the slightest bit of jealousy that had caused him to wait for her arrival. Was it slightly creepy that he had seemingly spent hours in her lobby? By all means. However, she had to admit that she was hardly one to ignore her phone. Hell, if her calls had gone unanswered by him for that long, she probably would have showed up at his loft. After all, she was rather thrilled that he had worried enough to come to her apartment, ignoring her usual requests for privacy. She ought to reward him with the truth, but the genuine curiosity that came through in his voice made toying with him all the more appealing.

Leaning in so that her lips were mere millimeters from his ear, she whispered, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

She pulled away slowly, watching the sheer anticipation flicker in his eyes as he awaited for her to elaborate. Turning around, she picked up the tote she had laid at her feet and took a couple of steps towards the stairs, as if she was going to leave him hanging. Doing so, she counted to five, positive that he would deliver his protest in the short timeframe.

Sure enough, "Aw. Tell me! Pleaseee."

She watched him pout. It was pathetic at his age, but adorable all the same. _Oh, no_. _Adorable?!?! _She was in trouble. She shook her head both to get rid of the thought and to seemingly express her disproval of his childish antics.

Her attention turned back to her partner, whose pout had turned into a self-satisfied smirk, as she heard him further pry, "I suppose you weren't on a date?"

Now why would he just_ assume _that?! Did he really think she didn't date? Ok, so the last time she'd been on a "date," she had ended the evening with _him_…That was beyond the point. She opened her mouth to retort, but he cut her off, smilingly pointing to her bag.

"Embellished Lanvin totes don't exactly scream hot date."

_Oh_. Right. Maybe he wasn't making arrogant assumptions.

"I wasn't aware that you were a handbag expert." Now _he_ could squirm.

"Have you met my mother, _Detective_? " He had a point there. She could picture a miniature Castle lugging Martha's bags and getting to know them. "And you're still dodging my question."

Sighing, Kate knew she was done playing. "Before I give you a viable answer, I want to know why you were so insistent on tracking me down on a day that you persisted I have to myself."

To her relief, he answered without hesitation, "For one, I wanted to make sure you were actually resting instead of doing paperwork in the comfort of your home, and I was genuinely worried when no one knew where you were." He paused before cautiously adding, "That, and I missed your company," He grinned, attempting to play down his last claim.

Kate could do nothing to control the fluttering in her stomach at his words. She compelled herself to raise an eyebrow in order to, at least, outwardly react like her regular self. When he said nothing more to refute the implications of his admission, Kate smiled warmly and decided to finally give him the answer for which he had been fishing.

"I was at home."

His eyebrows wrinkled as he gestured to the building they were standing in. "But..."

"No, no." She rolled her eyes lightly. "I went home, as in to where I grew up, and then, today, I spent the day with my dad."

She knew he'd have questions as she had yet to share any details of her youth with him and rarely spoke of her family. For once, she would be willing to be more open, but that had been enough detail for the lobby. After all, it seemed as if Chester wasn't quite as tight-lipped as she thought.

All she had wanted to do upon her entry from the cold had been to slip into a warm bath and admittedly read one of Castle's books. Yet, watching the worry and jealousy in his eyes transform into something more affectionate, Kate decided her bath could wait.

* * *

_A/N:__ Reviews are much appreciated._


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note:_

_Well then, I failed at updating this earlier. I'm going to spare you what would be a silly explanation._

_This is slightly tweaked from the earlier chapter five, but it's really not that different. I just hope it flows a little better. _

_Anyway, I hope you enjoy this! (and I'm sorry for posting and then taking down chapter five earlier today.) _

_Thank you to everyone who has reviewed my work so far, and a special thank you to Nathan fan!_

Disclaimer: I own neither the characters nor the show referred to in this fic.

* * *

Kate held her breath as she waited for Castle's answer. She tried to appear calm, as if she had asked the simplest of questions, which, quite technically, she had. Yet, she was fully aware that what would seem like a simple inquiry coming from the average person held immense importance coming from her. This awareness caused her interior to war with her seemingly collected exterior. The subtle fluttering she felt in the pit of her stomach whenever she found herself within feet of her partner had increased tenfold. With the synchronized pulsing of the butterflies and her thunderously beating heart, Kate could barely make out the answer she was given.

* * *

Watching the elevator doors hide Castle's beaming figure, Kate did nothing to contain the wide smile that was now plastered across her face as she closed the door. She had finally managed to come to terms with her feelings for the author and had opened herself up to him more in the last three hours than she had to anyone other than her grandmother since her mother had been taken from her. Having made such progress, she had no desire and saw no need to suppress the physical demonstration of the felicity she had gained in doing so. Kate had no intention of denying herself the truth any longer, and, besides, she had every reason to be thrilled.

She knew Castle had been fantasizing about the day she would allow him up to her apartment, so she had expected him to jump at the chance of an impromptu visit. He had not. He was utterly aware of just how momentous her offer had been.

The two had been spending more time together outside of the precinct since the Coonan Chapter, but that time normally went by at his loft, with Alexis, or at friendly dinners following a long workdays. He had accompanied her back to her building on numerous occasions, intent on being a gentleman, but she had yet to ask him upstairs. He knew that such an invitation would only come when she eventually felt secure enough in his company to welcome him into her private abode.

Hence, when that moment had come at last, he had been unable to take it lightly. The suggestive smirk and teasing comment she would have expected from him earlier on in their relationship had instead been a heartfelt smile and a humbled acceptance.

She had given him the freedom to explore her living room as she made him the cappuccino she had promised him in the lobby. She had observed him from her perch by the Nespresso machine he had been pleased to see she owned. In her observations, she had respectively been surprised to see that, instead of slipping out of her sight and attempting to see the rest of the apartment he had surely been curious to see, he so appreciated simply _being_ in her home that he had done no more than scrutinize the portion of her library that resided in the bookshelf nearest the French doors leading into the kitchen. It seemed that he was doing his best to show her that he would not abuse the trust she had given him in letting him in the door.

Such unexpected gestures on his behalf created the evidence that reassured her that she was making the right choice. The unruly playboy she had deemed him to be prior to and shortly following their official introduction had turned out to be nothing of the sort. He might seem outwardly shallow, but he was far from it when it came to those he cared for. His adoration for his daughter was remarkable. His dedication to his family was admirable. His devotion to _her_ was progressively undeniable. He was there for her whenever she needed him, always a mere phone call away. He remained childish, at times, yes, but those moments often served to lighten a heavy mood, and, though she would never admit it to her coworkers, they made her job that much easier to cope with.

Despite her original protests and complaints, Richard Castle had only ameliorated her life, and that had been when he was simply a _friend_.

She could hardly imagine what it would be like now that Richard Castle was no longer _just_ a friend.

* * *

Finally settling into the warm bath she had anticipated since wandering the city in the cold, Kate let her thoughts drift back to all that had occurred. The sleepless hours of the previous night during which she had made the decision to abolish the restrictions she had inflicted upon herself had been well worth it. Spending her day in the company of the three people she cared about the most had easily created the best day of her year thus far. Though, replaying her conversations with the one who had left half an hour earlier and closing her eyes as she remembered the soft yet promising kiss he had planted on her lips as he took his leave, she knew this was only the first of many, _many_ memorable days.

She had imagined that their transition from friends to something more would have been awkward, but it was promising to be quite the opposite. She couldn't help but wonder if it was due to the fact that neither had ever envisioned halting at a platonic relationship. They may have known that, until now, their relationship could go no further, but they had subconsciously committed to one another months ago, sabotaging any potential relationship with a third party that had recently come along.

The evening's conversation had flowed naturally, adopting their usual topics but altogether bypassing work and murder. Neither wanted to discuss morbid topics while they were both overcome with more joyful thoughts.

After listening to Rick tell the story of the first time he had taken a young Alexis abroad on one of Derek Storm's earlier European book tours, Kate had used their favorite redhead as a transition to recount her handful of summers in Amalfi. Rick's gaze had softened considerably as he listened to her anecdotes. He had shared genuine stories of his childhood with her since his fictitious account of finding his fascination with the macabre in the Hamptons, but this was the first time she had delved into her childhood with more than just a passing comment in his presence.

She knew that he understood how much it took for her to share her past with him. Her childhood was a mystery to everybody from her present life. She felt that the widespread knowledge of her mother's murder gave her coworkers more than enough insight on her past. Consequently, she had kept her origins as much of a secret as possible, even from Lanie. She knew her mother's maiden name was included in Johanna's file and that anyone who had accessed it could easily have researched her family, but her upbringing was not something she wanted to openly discuss. It was hard enough to be a female detective. The last thing she needed was to be taunted for coming from a more privileged background than her fellow detectives. Castle understood this, and she knew she wouldn't have to worry about any of her stories either ending up in the next Nikki Heat installment or circulating around the precinct.

Rick had daringly reached for hand as she told him of the time she had wandered off in Capri and had lost sight of her mother in the crowd waiting to board the funicular and of how those twenty minutes during which she believed she might never find her mother had been the scariest moments of her childhood. She hadn't pulled away as she was sure he had expected, but had squeezed his hand oh so slightly to convey that she accepted his gesture. He had squeezed back to express his gratitude for letting him in, but had sought a humorous anecdote of his own childhood to share so as to prevent the mood from sobering.

Despite their return to lighter topics, their fingers had remained interlaced for the rest of the evening.

* * *

Hearing her phone trill to announce the arrival of a text message, she made her way from her spacious bathroom into her bedroom. Finding the phone on her dresser, she hoped that the message was from Castle. The increased fluttering in her stomach, as she finally slid the phone open, confirmed that it was indeed from the very person she had wanted to hear from.

_Thank you_.

She smiled broadly. She had sensed his appreciation as she had opened up to him, seen the adoring look in his eyes, and felt it in his parting kiss, yet having him confirm it directly reassured her that she had done the right thing. She barely had time to reply before her phone trilled yet again.

_Brunch at my place tomorrow? Around 11?_

Yes, tomorrow was promising to be another good day.

* * *

_A/N, Part II:_

_- As always, I would appreciate any feedback you may have (and it doesn't have to be in English… I'll take reviews in French and Spanish as well :)!_

_- I don't want to drag the story on for much longer, but I'm planning on two or three more chapters after this. _

_- Unrelated to my update, but I cannot squee enough about this: Who else has seen the stills for "Boom!" and is freaking out at the shippy goodness they promise us? _


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Note:_

_It seems that I suck at updating. I am sorry for letting ten days go by. This week evaporated at a disconcerting rate, and I've been somewhat distracted, so I couldn't write more than a few paragraphs at a time on the few occasions I managed to concentrate on this story. I was going to post this last night, but I wanted to be sure that I was content with the content so that I wouldn't freak out and take the chapter down in the morning, like last time. Then my dad showed up earlier than I expected for lunch today, so my plans to post it this morning also failed. _

_I know I said I was planning on two or three more chapters, including this one, but I think it may be slightly more than that. I was planning on fitting the entire brunch into one chapter, but I think this chapter stops at a good place, and I thought you might enjoy two earlier, average length updates rather than a single later and lengthier update. _

_Thank you very, very much for reading!_

Disclaimer: I have only taken _Castle_'s characters out to play.

* * *

_9: 23_

She had been awake for almost three hours now. Sheer excitement at the prospect of seeing Castle so soon after their promising evening together had filled her and infiltrated her dreams so that had eventually woken her much earlier than she would have otherwise expected. Surprisingly, though, she did not mind waking before seven on one of her _oh, so rare_ days off of work. By all means, anticipation greatly surpassed her usual wake up call from homicide.

The two espressos she had consumed since she had gotten up had doubled her excitement, and she was failing futile attempts at distracting herself. Ten chapters of _Pride and Prejudice_ had only caused her to compare her reception of Castle to Lizzie's of Darcy. Paperwork wasn't an option as the Captain had made Ryan and Esposito check her bag before she left the precinct on Tuesday night. Calling Lanie wasn't an option because even though her best friend would most likely back away from her autopsy fluids to speak with her, Kate wanted to keep her current ruminations private until she and Castle sorted everything out.

She had finally succumbed to thumbing through the enormous, leather-bound photo album that told the story of her childhood. Johanna and Jacqueline, like any doting mother and grandmother, had meticulously documented the first eighteen year's of Katherine's life and had decided that assembling such an album would make for a sentimental coming of age present. Kate had appreciated the album at the time, but it wasn't until her mother's passing that she assessed it as one of the greatest gifts she had ever received. She had spent hours flipping through it every week, until her psychiatrist helped her to realize that wishing she could leave reality behind and slip into the photographed world of the past was far from healthy.

Now, she would indulge in the album every couple of months, though it always remained on her coffee table. She had caught Castle staring at it the previous evening, but sensing that asking about it might push her to share more than she could emotionally handle at once, he had remained quiet. She appreciated his unspoken gesture. After having left him to wander her emotional barriers for so long, she could hardly permit her fortress to crumble overnight. By allowing him to reprise his role as her shadow months and months ago, she had let him through the tunnels bypassing her moat. By asking him to stay with her after Coonan's shooting, she had helped him up the ladder and over her walls. Last night, by inviting him into her apartment, she had finally opened the inner door he had so longed to find. In short, she had let him in. Yet, enabling him, directly or not, to tear down every last one of her defenses was beyond the question.

Realizing that she had allowed her thoughts to wander back to Castle, yet again, she figured that she might as well get ready for brunch.

She knew what she would wear as soon as she came face to face with the dress hanging from her closet door. Her latest acquisition had been the result of a coup de cœur that she had been unable to shake. She had seen the dress in one of the _Paris Vogue'_s she allowed herself every so often. She knew it was an extravagant piece, but she had decided that it would be her reward for facing her fears throughout the Coonan case. Besides, the carmel brown, perforated leather shift had screamed "Kate" to her with its cuffed sleeves and numerous pockets. It reminded her of the button-downs she often wore to the precinct but was so much more feminine. It was hardly something she could wear to work, but, paired with opaque tights, it would do perfectly for today. She was nervous, there was no point denying it to herself, and leather always managed to make her feel somewhat tougher, a sort of wearable safety blanket.

* * *

Stepping out the door and into the bitter cold, Kate knew she had just enough time to pick up a couple pastries from her favorite bakery down the block before hopping into a cab.

Twenty three minutes later, she stepped off the elevator and onto Castle's floor. Once she knocked on his door, there was no going back, at least not without causing potentially irreparable harm. She had been to his loft so often in the last few weeks, whether it be to pick Rick up in the morning, to run ideas by him, or just to relax after a case, that she had lost count. Kiss or no kiss, she had no reason to be nervous. Alexis would be there. Martha would be there. Everything would be just like normal, yet slightly better due to the unspoken promise of something more between her and the only man of the household. No, what she was feeling wasn't nerves. It was apprehension.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked. Some ten seconds later, Rick materialized in the doorway. The doorman had surely announced her ascent. Either that, or an impatient Castle was smoothly awaiting her in his foyer.

"Kate," he uttered in greeting. "Welcome in." His voice argued that he was calm, but his demeanor said otherwise.

The joy with which he ushered her in brought a smile to her face, assuring her that she had nothing to worry about. She hardly had time to peck him lightly on the cheek and take in the blissful look in his eyes as she pulled before Alexis came rushing down the stairs.

"Kate! I'm so glad you could come!" the young redhead exclaimed as she enveloped her in a quick hug.

"I'm happy to be here," she answered giving both of her hosts a warm smile. Handing the shopping bag carrying a sizable box of macarons to Alexis, she went on, "These are for you and Martha. I know how much you loved them when we met up for coffee last weekend."

"Oooh, thank you!" Alexis' eyes lit up as she smilingly accepted the delectable treats.

"You're welcome," Kate answered happily as Alexis carried them off to the kitchen.

Turning back to Rick, she caught him staring at her admiringly. "What?"

"That was sweet." Watching her eyebrow curve amusedly, he went on. "You two hung out again last week?"

"We did," she affirmed.

"She's not keeping secrets from me again, is she?" Trying to make it seem like he wasn't worried, he moved to take her coat.

Kate grinned mischievously. "It depends on what you define as 'secrets,' Mr. 'I'm a Cool Dad!'" In reality, Alexis' only "secret" was that she still wanted to go to Paris, her dad in tow, but didn't know when the best time to suggest such a trip would be. There was no reason why she should brief him before Alexis had the chance to do so.

Pouting, Rick conceded. He knew there was no way he was getting anything out of her, especially with Alexis due to return momentarily. Instead, he guided Kate over to the lounge.

"Where's Martha?"

"She went off with Chet a few days ago. She claimed that they needed a romantic getaway away from the city." He shuddered to shake off the possibilities.

"Ah." Castle's unwillingness to think oh his mother dating was just as endearing as his protectiveness of Alexis. "Well, I'm happy for her. It's sweet that they've reconnected after all this time."

"I see Kate, The Romantic is making an appearance!"

She grinned in answer. No one else was around. She didn't need to remind him that she slept with a gun. She needed to do no more than arch her brow ever so slightly for she didn't intend on contradicting him.

Her response, or lack thereof, elicited an outright smile from her partner.

"Kate!" Alexis unknowingly interrupting as she returned to the living room. "Do you want to see the dress I was telling you about? I'm thinking of wearing it to Gram's premiere next week. Dad still has some finishing up to do in the kitchen."

Somewhat thankful that Alexis had saved her from continuing that conversation, she was quick to agree.

Alexis smiled enthusiastically, taking Kate's hand and leading her towards the stairs. "Dad, we'll be in my room if you need anything."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Kate made her way into the kitchen. The dress had been a ploy for Alexis to get Kate to herself. She had indeed had a dress to show her, but the young girl had wanted to update Kate on her plan. She was intent on asking her father about Paris that evening and wanted to share the list of arguments that she had prepared to show her father if he thought the trip was a bad idea.

Rick had his back to the stairs, humming as he was whipping up what seemed to be pancakes in the corner by the refrigerator. The sight of the alleged playboy executing such a manly task was definitely something she could use to her advantage the next time he got unruly at the precinct, yet it was simultaneously a sight that she hoped to see more often. She didn't have much time to admire the situation, though, as her heels echoed across the parquet floors and alerted the wordy cook of her approach.

Turning to face her, he matched her grin with one of his own. "Ah. My dear Detective, how may I help you?"

"I didn't know I was here as a Detective, _Castle_." She raised her eyebrow teasingly.

"Oh no, you're here as much more than that, _Kate_," he rectified, his lips gracing her name with a heartfelt smile.

She took a few additional steps, "Is that so, _Rick_?"

"Of course. Alexis and I don't ask just anyone to join in on our rituals."

"This is a ritual?"

"Mhmm. We always do brunch and movies the day before Alexis heads off to California."

Kate was now standing a mere foot away, allowing Rick to read every emotion that flickered in her looks. "She's leaving tomorrow?" _Why hadn't Alexis told her this while they were talking minutes ago?_ She hadn't even noticed any signs of packing, and she was supposed to be a Detective!

Rick just nodded in response, worry in his eyes as Kate seemed to be pulling away at this admission.

"I can't impose upon your time together! especially after you spent the entire afternoon and evening with me yesterday!" Kate had certainly hated whenever her father had included his girlfriends, or _any_ third party, in _their _parting rituals, no matter how much she otherwise liked the intruder. Here she was doing the same thing to Alexis, except she wasn't even Rick's _girlfriend_ yet, and that was worse, wasn't it? She did not want to intrude, and she certainly did not want to start things off the wrong way. "I should go…"

She started to back away, but Rick grasped both of her hands to keep her in place, causing her to look at him questioningly, a frown on her face.

"Kate, stay. Listen to me. We _both_ want you to be with us today." His sincerity was already calming her down. "To tell you the truth, Alexis asked me to invite you as soon as she found out where I was yesterday evening. Alexis absolutely adores you. She loves when the two of you spend time together, and she talks about how 'cool' you are for days afterwards. I, quite frankly, and I don't say this to scare you off, haven't had her approve of any one else so enthusiastically, so I don't want you to worry about imposing. Is that clear?"

Why did he have to look at her that sincerely? She nodded tentatively, but decided a verbal reply was necessary, as well, "Are you sure you don't want to be alone with her? How long will she be gone?"

Rick chuckled. _She_ didn't see what was funny. "Her winter break only lasts ten days, so she'll be home in a week. And, if it helps, Alexis and I have both a fencing match and a visit to our favorite sushi place scheduled for tonight."

That _did_ help… and if Alexis liked having her around half as much as he claimed, then she had no reason to leave, right?

"Will you please stay?"

She really _did_ want to spend the day with them. "I'll stay, but only on one condition," she managed to state in an unwavering tone and watched as Castle prompted her to go on by raising his brow. "You let me help until Alexis gets off the phone."

Relief spread across Rick's face as he allowed for a genuine smile to materialize. "How good are you at making scrambled eggs?"

"Oh, I'm very good."

He handed her the bowl and whisk that he had set aside. "Is that so?"

"You have no idea."

* * *

_Radom A/Ns pertaining to content of the chapter:_

- _Referring to Castle as "Rick" is awkward_.

- Pride and Prejudice… _It was the first book that came to mind as I was typing. I don't know if it's very Beckett, but I've gotten the impression that she likes a wide variety of literature. Plus, I do love the slight parallel that exists between the novel and the show. Kate seems to be endlessly annoyed by Castle at first, vows that she can't stand him and brushes him off as an arrogant, childish playboy. Meanwhile, Lizzie vows to hate Darcy "for all of eternity" and finds him to be "arrogant" and "conceited" and thinks he has a "selfish disdain for the feelings of others." Both women are surprised by the hidden caring natures of the men, and both fall in love with them. If I do not stop now, I will legitimately start thinking of more than casual parallels, and this note will somehow turn into a comparison paper. No one wants that. My point: I wanted Kate to see the parallel, too. _

_- The dress I described is from Paul & Joe. Since I will not be purchasing such a piece for myself, I decided to vicariously wear it by dressing Kate in it. The piece actually turned out to be a romper, but since I neither condone rompers nor do I think Kate would condone rompers, I took the liberty of turning it into a dress. I can't find a decent picture of it online, but it is very Beckett. _

_- For the sake of being realistic, I don't know if there are decent macarons in New York… I personally have yet to dare and try one on this side of the pond, but I was discussing macarons as I wrote that passage, so that is the "pastry" I allowed to make an appearance. _

_- I wasn't really planning the Alexis issue, but it materialized on its own, and I do think that could be an issue, so there you have it. Enough rambling on my part._

Please tell me what you thought! Reviews are much appreciated and quite honestly make my day!!


	7. Chapter 7

Edited: 04/13/10

Disclaimer: I own neither anything that has to do with _Castle_ nor the line I integrated from the mentioned movie.

* * *

This was definitely something she could get used to.

Kate's qualms had quickly subsided once she and Rick had reverted to their flirtatious ways as they cooked together and had completely disappeared once Alexis joined them.

Conversation had flowed. Laughter had been abundant. Smiles had rarely faded.

So it had begun in the kitchen, so it had continued over the meal, and so it was now that they were settling into the lounge.

Rick had eyed her nervously as Alexis asked what movie they wanted to watch, only to breathe a sigh of relief when she hadn't tried to back out. His evident joy at her cooperation had stopped him from listening as the two females chose a movie.

Both Kate and Alexis exchanged looks before advancing Alexis' conspiracy. The mischievous redhead had picked out a handful of movies in advance, every single one of which took place and ended happily in Paris. She was clearly trying to influence her unsuspecting father. Some of her selections were artsy, some were mysterious, but one was musical. Kate was familiar with them all, but she was quick to agree with Alexis' suggestion. Subjecting Castle to the film promised to be just as amusing as the feature itself.

The young girl demurely popped in the DVD and hit play as soon as she settled into her armchair so that her father wouldn't see the menu. It wouldn't have mattered anyhow. Kate had crawled onto the couch, inches separating her from Rick, and he was watching her with a preoccupied smile on his face, oblivious to other happenings in the room. Kate's shy smile provoked by the content look on his face transformed into a controlled grin as several doors opened on screen and several women began to musically contemplate and dictate the color pink, snapping Castle's attention away from her.

"Alexis! Again?! "

Alexis sweetly smiled at her father before turning back to the screen. She was not going to let him get out of this one.

"I knew my mother was a bad influence with all of these musicals," he grumbled resignedly .

Kate chuckled quietly at his reaction. His rapid acceptance meant one of two things: he either secretly _enjoyed_ the movie or he was unwilling to to contradict his daughter. Both possibilities were likely, and Kate found both of them to be equally endearing.

"Don't worry, Ricky;" she promised teasingly. "You can help pick the next one."

* * *

The credits rolling on the second feature, Kate begrudged her impending departure. Leaving the Castle's embrace and venturing back out into the cold was in no way appealing. The two had subtly inched towards one another through the first movie before Kate had finally leaned into him, her head on his shoulder, prompting his arm to wrap around her and his hand to rest at her waist. The occasional tightening of his hold suggested that the movie had not been nearly as unpleasant for him as he had previously suggested.

Alexis had noticed their newly adopted position as she got up to switch DVDs, but her acknowledgement of the shift with a simple, approving smile suggested that she thought it was only natural.

"Shall we watch _Charade_, next?" had been her only comment.

Kate had readily acquiesced. The murder mystery had always been one of her favorites. It provided just enough suspense, romance and sarcastic humor to keep her entertained time and again. Kate had suspected that the film would be to Rick's liking, and she had not been disappointed as he had quickly echoed her agreement.

Before Kate got the chance to excuse herself and leave the father-daughter pair to their plans, Alexis announced that she was going to head upstairs to finish up her report before their fencing match so that she wouldn't have to worry about it in California. If Kate didn't know any better, Paris was hardly the young girl's sole scheme.

"Kate, I really enjoyed today," Alexis offered as she hugged the now standing detective. "I'm so glad you could come."

"I did, too," she answered with a genuine smile. "I hope you have a great time with your mom."

"Thank you. Now, I must get to work."

The knowing smirk Alexis gave the two adults right before she headed for the stairs implied that she did, indeed, have ulterior motives for running off.

The faint click of the teen's door less than a minute later confirmed that they were finally alone, this time without the risk of being interrupted at any second. Kate had been anticipating this moment since her arrival. Whatever happened next would determine where their relationship was headed.

Rick was now standing beside her, visibly deep in thought.

"What are you thinking about?" Despite the fact that she knew she had no reason to be nervous, she felt a slight flutter in the pit of her stomach as she waited for his answer. Every look, every flirtation they had exchanged in the last seven hours, every minute they had spent cuddled on the couch promised that they were headed down the only path she wanted to consider.

"I'm thinking that I haven't seen Alexis at such ease around anyone before."

_Oh_. That had not been what she had expected, but that didn't stop her from grinning sheepishly in reply.

"I'm also thinking that I'm having a tough time keeping my hands off of you." He echoed Cary Grant's earlier avowal.

Though she was often annoyed by his impressions, this was hardly one to which she could object.

"Has it ever occurred to you that I might not want you to keep your hands off of me?" she countered with an earnest smile.

That had been all he had needed to hear, for seconds later, he closed the gap between them and captured her lips with his own.

* * *

Half an hour later found the couple reveling in their newfound happiness. Their every emotion had poured into that first kiss and into the ones that followed so much so that words had seemed like meager attempts to verbalize their feelings. Neither felt the need to discuss what had transpired between them for both knew once they had crossed the boundary between friendship and something more, there was no going back. Neither wanted to go back , and both were elated to take the step they had been waiting for.

Leaning against Rick's chest, contemplating their intertwined fingers as he mindlessly traced patterns on her hand, Kate acknowledged that this was the most content that she had been in far too long. It was, however, something that she planned on growing accustomed to.

She would have been perfectly happy to remain where she was, but catching a glimpse of her watch, she knew that she would have to extract herself from his embrace.

"Rick?"

"Hmm?"

"I need to go," she explained softly. "You need to be with your daughter, and I need to go home before dinner."

He nodded slowly as they sat up. "Dinner?"

Gliding toward the foyer, she took a moment to consider the slightest look of jealous curiosity that had momentarily flickered in his eyes. Even yesterday, she could have hardly resisted the chance to tease him, but, tonight, she decided against it. Instead, she genuinely relayed her plans for the evening as he helped her on with her coat.

He drew her in for one last kiss before he opened the door.

"Until tomorrow, Kate."

"Until tomorrow." Her acceptance, at last, of his expression caused his smile to grow. After all, a hopeful Kate Beckett was not something to take lightly.

* * *

Soon after seven thirty, Kate walked into her favorite brasserie. The place had been around since she was a teenager, surviving New York's brutal restaurant scene year after year due to its reputation as one of the most genuine brasseries in town. Kate had often come here with her parents on their occasional, surprisingly non-awkward dinners together. Jim and Jacqueline had reinstated the tradition some years ago, hoping that it would return some sort of normalcy to Kate's life. Kate had been reluctant to reprise the dinners, her mother's absence in the familiar setting making the first couple of meals difficult to bear. All three had persisted, however, and Kate had come to savor the events.

Kate's always overbearing workload had been exceptional of late, and they hadn't been able to have their once-ever-three-months dinner in over six. So, Kate had run the idea by both of her elders during her time with each of them the previous day, and they had all agreed on tonight.

Jacqueline was already seated as Kate made her way to their usual, corner table, but got up to kiss her granddaughter on each cheek.

"How was your day, my dear?" The elder inquired of her beaming granddaughter. "You look exceptionally happy."

"I am. I missed these dinners."

"I did too, but… You're sure that smile has nothing to do with Richard?"

Kate's noted smile grew slightly. "It does. I spent the day with him and with Alexis."

"Aha! That's more like it! How was it?" It was only natural that her most devoted confidant was enthusiastic.

"It was wonderful. We cooked together, lingered over brunch, and then we spent the afternoon talking and watching _Charade_ and _Funny Face_ -"

"_Funny Face_?!"

"Alexis is going through a French phase… and she's trying to convince Rick to take her to Paris, so she thought the movie's setting would work in her favor."

"Ah. Smart girl," Jacqueline answered with an amused chuckle. "So then what happened?"

Kate blushed ever so slightly and was about to answer when she saw her father approaching the table. "Hi, Dad!"

"Good evening, ladies!" Jim replied smilingly.

"James! It's been much too long!" Jacqueline exclaimed as she rose to greet her former son-in-law. "How are you?"

Kate delightedly watched the scene unfolding in front of her. Her parents' divorce had been rather amicable, so, though things had been awkward at first, her grandmother had remained friendly with her father. It had made things much easier for her as a child. She had seen the hostility in many of her friends' divorced families as she was growing up and was very thankful for her own. It was moments like these, surrounded by her remaining family, that she could _almost_ reach into her childhood again.

"Katherine was just telling me about Richard," Jacqueline announced gleefully.

And _then_, it was moments like these that reminded her that she was in fact thirty-one, and that when these two teamed up, she stood no chance.

"Is that so?!"

"Oh yes. _Apparently,_ she spent the entire day at his loft."

_Great_. Now they were _both_ looking at her were going to get all the information they wanted out of her and provoke confessions that Kate didn't even know she had to make. She was, however, happy to oblige.

* * *

"Well, it's about time!" Jacqueline exclaimed joyfully when Kate finished recounting a parentally friendly version of her afternoon. "I'm glad the both of you can finally see straight."

"I'm so proud of you, Katie," her father offered, squeezing her hand from across the table.

"We're _all_ proud of you, dear," Jacqueline confirmed, beaming at her sole grandchild.

Kate's eyes glazed over ever so slightly at the allusion to the departed. She knew her mother would be thrilled that she had finally accepted and acted on what had been dangling in front of her for months now. In a better world, Johanna would be in the empty chair directly across from her, her smile even greater than those around her. Such knowledge, that her mother would be thrilled at the situation, reminded Kate that this moment was as close to perfect as it could get which, in turn, allowed her to produce a beaming smile of her own.

* * *

Kate plopped down on her couch, too exhausted to bother changing into something more comfortable. Dinner had been quite the success. Following the announcement that had put all three of them in a cheerful mood, they had visited an array of topics as they enjoyed their meal. The many months that had gone by since their last joint rendez-vous assured that each member of the party had lots to share. They had lingered over wine, laughing frequently and simply enjoying each other's company.

Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was now 10:53. Twelve hours earlier, she had knocked on Castle's door, only able to guess at what her visit would bring. She hadn't expected him to brush off their previous evening together, but she had hardly anticipated the ease with which they had established their relationship. She could only hope that it would continue that way.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_I finished the second half of this chapter days ago, but I struggled with the first half. _

_I'm still not thrilled with parts of this chapter, but I hope you find it to be satisfactory. Please do let me know!_

_Thank you very much to everyone who has reviewed so far! _


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's Note:_

_I took much too long with this, I know. Thank you to those of you who are still reading._

_I'd like to extend a special thank you to IMW without whom I would still be battling with this chapter._

_I hope you enjoy this installment!! _

Edited: 04/13/10

Disclaimer: _Castle_? Not mine.

* * *

A shrill ring piercing through her dense veil of slumber, Kate begrudgingly reached for her phone. It seemed that the real world was beckoning her back from her idyllic break.

"Beckett."

"Hi, Kate!" _Or maybe not_. The voice coming through the phone was much too young and girly to be reporting a murder.

"Alexis, hi! Is something wrong?"

"No, not at all. There just isn't much to do at the airport…" She was already on her way? What _time_ was it? Oh. _Oh_. She never slept this late. "… and I wanted to talk to you before I got to L.A."

"Sure. What's up?"

"He said yes! Well… " the surprisingly energetic teenager trailed off, giving the groggy detective a moment to consider what she was talking about. Too much sleep, a now foreign concept to her body, was making her slow. "He said he had to think about a couple of details, but he agreed that we could go." _Paris_! No wonder she was this excited.

"That's great!" Kate tried to muster up as much energy as she could. _Coffee_. "Did it take long to convince him?" She had a feeling the girl hadn't had to resort to her well-prepared list of arguments. Paris was Wonderland to an author, no matter if they spent a day or an eternity in the city's midst.

"No, actually." Alexis confirmed, sounding almost dejected. Kate had learned by now that the redhead, like herself, was not one to shy away from a challenge and rather disliked attaining something too easily. This must be one of those instances. "He got all excited and started rambling on and on about all the different things we can do in Paris." Kate grinned at her accurate prediction, thankful that Alexis was off the island and couldn't observe her. She had spent far too much time around the Man Child not to know he would be unable to resist Wordy Wonderland. "Then he got even more excited because he remembered The Book Whose Title He Mysteriously Refuses To Name comes out this summer, and he figured he could fit in a few press stops while we're in Europe." Alexis let out a sigh.

"Where's the problem?" She could guess, but, if she were wrong, she didn't want to plant new worries into the girl's mind.

"I'm just a little worried that since I didn't get to argue _my _reasons for wanting to go to Paris before he agreed, he's going to make this about him."

"Alexis… does that really sound like your dad to you?" Rick Castle might always want to bring _his _ideas to life, but he was hardly one to dismiss the desires of those he cared about.

"No… It's just… I haven't been to Paris since I was twelve, and now that I'm old enough to actually appreciate it, I want everything to go perfectly. I don't want him to neglect me for book stuff." She caught herself before Kate could interject. "Ok, he would hardly _neglect_ me, but I just don't want him _galavanting_ in front of the media and publicizing our trip."

That was reasonable enough. "Did you _tell_ him that?"

"No. He seemed so happy about everything that I didn't want to say something and ruin it for him." Typical. This had been _her _trip and she was worried about ruining it for her father. As much of an old soul as Kate had also been as a teenager, she was still amazed by Alexis' maturity at times.

"That's sweet, Alexis, really, but you need to tell him before he starts finalizing plans. We both know he's one to act quickly when he gets an idea in his head."

Alexis sighed before answering. "I know. Do you think I should call him now?"

"It would probably be best."

"I hate telling him important things on the phone."

"Understandable, though it's better than waiting a week to do so. Besides, this way, you can get on the plane and start your trip without worry."

"You're right."A smile now detectable in her voice, the girl smoothly added, "I'm glad you're my confidante… and I'm glad that you and Dad are finally together."

Kate was glad that her coffee was still brewing. Had she been sipping the hot liquid, she surely would have choked..

"Did your father tell you that?"

"No. I just assumed. You were both so content and cuddly throughout the day yesterday…" Alexis trailed off, almost as if she was unsure as to whether or not she should say more but went on anyway, "and then Dad was almost giddy after you left, long before I brought up Paris. He didn't even whine when I won two subsequent fencing matches." Kate let her surprise subside as she happily soaked in the revelation. "I actually tried to get it out of him, but Dad wouldn't say anything. All he would do was grin. Frankly, I haven't seen him this happy in years. I don't even see what other conclusions I could possibly come to. Please don't tell me I'm wrong," Alexis pleaded.

What was she supposed to say? It wasn't her place… At Alexis' age, _she_ had been furious when such information failed to come directly from her father. Then again, Rick hadn't told Alexis to safeguard her privacy. Besides, Alexis seemed to _like_ the prospect, and she _had_ done her best to leave them alone yesterday. It was hardly her place to lie to the girl, either.

"Kate?" Alexis prompted her nervously.

"You're not wrong." She really hoped she had said the right thing.

The high-pitched squeal, produced best by those on the inferior side of twenty, that emanated through the phone confirmed that she had, quite evidently, done just that.

* * *

Early in the afternoon, Kate made her way into the Twelfth Precinct. She had thoroughly enjoyed herself over the last two days and had, consequently, effaced every last trace of the fatigue that had worried her coworkers. With that in mind, she didn't see the harm of returning to work. No one would be able to reasonably object to her appearance as she had accomplished more than her break had been meant to facilitate.

Thankful she had donned a pair of heels that did not accompany her every step with a traitorous "click," Kate arrived at her desk, seemingly unnoticed. Though she felt justified in her presence, she did not want to attract any attention. Ryan and Esposito were nowhere to be seen. The Captain was in his office, the door closed and the shades drawn. Karpowski was her only breathing companion in the area surrounding her desk, and even she was working her way through an intimidating mountain of paperwork. The coast clear, Kate settled into her domain.

* * *

The materialization of a grande coffee cup on her desk startled her from her studious trance. She had not looked up from the cold case file she had been combing for new clues since she had opened it. Consequently, the figure who was now settling into the chair that always faced her own had managed to sneak up on her.

"What are we working on?"

Today was apparently one of those days where coffee offerings substituted more socially practiced greetings.

Amused, she inquired before sipping her sugary latte.

"We?"

"Of course."

"I thought you said you were going to spend the day writing?"

She lowered her voice just in case Ryan and Esposito or, even worse, _Lanie_ decided to sneak up on her and learn that she had been in touch with Castle while she hadn't spoken to either of the three in days.

Castle smirked, happy that she had remembered his plans. "I _was_, but I had an impromptu meeting with Paula, and while I was headed home, I got a call saying that my favorite detective was camped out at her desk instead of enjoying the marvels of the outside world."

Kate's eyes widened. She had been found out… and whoever had noticed her had informed the one most capable of distracting her that she was at the Precinct. "Who called you?"

"I'm not telling."

"Castle. Spill."

"Make me."

Well, if _that_ was the way he wanted it, she would have to oblige.

"Ow, ow, ow, oww. Apples!"

She withdrew her hand from his nose and crossed her arms, daring him to evade the question anew.

"Was that really necessary?" he asked, rubbing his throbbing nose.

"You said to make you," she explained innocently.

"I had something a little more… pleasant in mind."

A typically pointed look, masking her actual amusement, was her only reply.

Not wishing to push her further, he caved. "It was Montgomery."

_Damn_. That was not someone she could inflict suffering upon. Though, at least he hadn't sent her home… yet.

"Anyway, what I was going to say before you attacked me was that I figured that if you insisted on working today, I might as well caffeinate you and keep you company. "

She smiled sincerely yet subtly in thanks. "I'm glad you're here." Remembering where they were sitting, she quickly added, "I wanted your take on this." She flipped to an earlier page of the case file splayed out on the desk.

"You _wanted_ my input?!"

"Scary, isn't it? Though you _can_ be surprisingly helpful, sometimes. Besides, these facts are snafu. No wonder the case went cold."

"Did you just say 'snafu'?¨"

"Yes. Yes, I did."

"You never cease to amaze me, Detective."

* * *

"Aren't you going to ask?"

Mere minutes had passed since they had found a sensible solution to their snafu of a case, and her companion was pouting.

"About?"

"My meeting with Paula this morning!"

He was lucky she found his enthusiasm endearing… at times

"Do tell."

"Don't you want to guess?"

The simultaneous rise of her eyebrows told him that she did not. Endearing or not, she was not going to indulge him now that Ryan was back and watching for any behavioral changes to report to the two not present.

Luckily, he understood the explanation she had provided by quickly glancing at her teammate's desk and didn't push her to play.

"Paula had suggested that I make a few European stops on my next book tour. Apparently, _Heat Wave_ did surprisingly well over there." He paused to smile proudly. "I had hesitated up until now because I don't like to leave Alexis alone now that Mother has partially moved out."

"What made you change your mind?" She figured it couldn't hurt to play it coy for now.

Leaning in slightly, he teased, "Come now, Detective." He lowered his voice. "Secret talks, macarons, cinematic subterfuge… Don't tell me you didn't know what was going on."

She gave him an amused yet assuming smile that he followed with a satisfied one of his own.

"Alright, I know about Paris... but how does this fit in with a book tour?"

She could only hope that Alexis had gotten through to him before her flight.

"Well, I know Alexis hates my glitzy soirées, which she unnecessarily reminded me of this morning, so I won't be doing any of those or making any major public appearances. She was, however, ok with my doing a few private interviews. While Paula's not thrilled that I'm not making more appearances, she should get off my back for a while... Now, tell me why you're smiling."

"I just think it's sweet that you make business decisions based on your daughter's preferences rather than on your agent's suggestions."

She knew Alexis had had no reason to worry that morning.

"Well that's the only way it should be."

She gave him yet another of her warm smiles that, without fail, caused him to look at her adoringly.

Afraid to hold his gaze and risk being _interrupted_ for the umpteenth time to be told how cute they were, she stood up and reached for the cashmere trench draped across her chair back.

He was quick to mimic her actions.

"Where are we going?"

"I am going home for the evening, and you have a writing deadline to meet..." She waited for the beginnings of a pout make its appearance to softly add, "after you walk with me."

With that she sauntered towards the elevator, knowing he would be milliseconds behind her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: May 14: **

**I'm reposting chapter 9 because I don't want to make a new chapter just for the note. I'm working on Chapter 10, but if I don't update by tomorrow night (which, at this point, would necessitate a miracle), I just want to say that the chapter probably won't be up for another two weeks. I'm sorry. I really wanted to avoid doing this, but I'm in the process of relocating internationally, which is not quite conducive to writing. I hope I manage to update sooner, but if not, I hope you will all continue to read when I eventually do. : ) I also hope _Castle_ doesn't plummet off of a cliff on Monday. **

* * *

"So, when do you think you and Alexis will go to Paris?"

Almost an hour had gone by since Kate and Castle had left the Precinct, and they were only just approaching the former's building. The pair had been oblivious to the dark as they had meandered, relishing in each other's company after having escaped the scrutiny of their friends.

"April. She has another break from school, and Meredith is starting an independent project next month, so she won't claim Alexis for then."

Kate eyes lit up as she expressed her approval. "That's the perfect time of year. Few tourists. Perfect weather. You'll be able to walk around as much as you want, and enjoy the gardens. There are blossoms everywhere in April. It's absolutely gorgeous."

"Interesting."

Kate arched her brow, silently probing him.

"It seems that the mysterious Kate Beckett is quite familiar with Paris. Could it be that she once ran around in striped shirts and short skirts?"

Kate chuckled in disbelief.

"'Striped shirts and mini skirts?'" Her eyebrows reached a new high. "I didn't know Dr. Seuss wrote a book on stereotypical Parisian apparel. Who's to say I dressed like that?"

"Once upon a time, you shot down the York uniforms. Now, this?"

"Disappointed?"

"Very."

"How can I make it up to you?"

"Speak French."

"Are you serious?"

"Deadly."

"T'es ridicule."

"I'm ridiculous?"

"Mmhmm."

"That's not fair."

"Isn't it?"

"No. You were supposed to say something sexy."

"Sorry."

"Spoil-sport."

"There'll be plenty of occasions for that in the future."

"Promise?"

She reached up to peck him soundly on the lips as his hands came up to circle her waist.

"Yes."

Castle seemed satisfied with her answer as he went on with his questioning.

"Did you ever study in Paris?"

"Peut-être."

"Year abroad?"

"No."

"Did you _live_ there?"

"That would be yet another layer of the Beckett onion for you to unravel, now, wouldn't it?"

"And how may I be worthy of such a revelation?"

"Hmm. Dinner might be suitable."

"Tonight?"

"_Demain_," she teased. "You seem to be forgetting your deadline."

"But I can finish the chapter after dinner!"

Her look told him she wasn't buying it.

"Tomorrow. I promise. I'll even cook."

"You cook?"

She gave him a coy smile.

"Look at is as a bonus Beckett layer to uncover."

She watched as his eyes lit up.

"Don't you dare," she cut off the _very_ Castle comment that would have followed.

* * *

"Kate, dear, I'll be right down!"

Opening her refrigerator early the next afternoon, Kate had come face to face with piles and piles of take out boxes. While these styrofoam temples made her life easier after hectic workdays, they were far from helpful in preparing an authentic meal.

The appraisal of her culinary goods, or lack thereof, had led to a frantic phone call that was soon followed by outerwear and a rush to catch a cab.

Now, not even half an hour later, she was standing in her grandmother's foyer, ready to shop with the best cook in town.

* * *

"I thought Alexis was the one going through the French phase?"

"She is."

Jacqueline nodded as she took in the sight of her granddaughter rummaging through her kitchen cabinets. The two had visited several shops and had gathered every last ingredient Kate had insisted upon before returning to the younger's apartment.

"In that case, may I ask why you're preparing a French meal for a sixteen year old who happens to be across the country?"

Kate looked up from the pan she had finally succeeded in locating. Apparently styrofoam temples caused her pots and pans to play hide and seek. Putting it down, she made her way over to the large table centered in her greenhouse kitchen. Jacqueline was seated at its edge, leafing through a well-worn cookbook.

"You haven't touched this in years."

"I know. It's just… all the talk has made me nostalgic." Kate paused as she traced her finger over her mother's handwriting on the open page. "You and Dad have been wonderful this week, but I felt like I needed a way to actively include Mom in all of this."

"Oh, sweetheart."

Jacqueline rose from her seat and enveloped her granddaughter in a hug, taking as much comfort from the embrace as she exuded.

"Thank you," Kate muttered almost inaudibly. Her grandmother's hugs were unrivaled in the assurance they issued.

"Always."

Jacqueline gave her a tender smile as she pulled away.

"You're doing the right thing, you know."

Kate looked at her quizzically.

"By letting him in. I have yet to meet Richard, but with _all_ you've told me over the last two years, I feel justified in saying he won't run away." She paused as she waited for the realization to dawn on her granddaughter's face. "He's not like Will. He won't balk at your past. He won't distance himself if you share with him."

Kate nodded her understanding, fixating on the wooden tabletop.

"I've watched you torment yourself over your feelings for this man for so long that I won't stand for any sabotage, subconscious or not, on your part."

Kate smirked as she met the elder's gaze.

"I wouldn't stand for it either. I was considering telling him about Paris, actually. I thought the food would make it easier."

"Ah."

Kate amusedly took in her grandmother's surprise.

"He already suspects I have some sort of connection to the city. I know you and Dad are the only New Yorkers who know about it, and I know I certainly never shared with Will after his _lovely_ reactions to the rest, but I feel like Castle should know, and I _want_ him to know."

Beaming, Jacqueline replied, "I have great hopes for this relationship. Now, I don't mean to rush you, dear, but you have four hours left, and we're going to need every minute of it."

* * *

The meal prepared and the table set, Jacqueline had taken off, satisfied that the evening would go smoothly.

Kate was similarly assured as she heard the knock on her door a short time later. Though this was their first dinner alone as a couple, she was far from nervous. She and Castle had had numerous dinners together as friends, each more enjoyable than the last, and tonight was bound to surpass them all.

Smoothing out the plum shift she had donned for the leisurely evening, she made her way to the door.

* * *

"I must admit I'm quite impressed with your culinary skills." The meal finished, the couple transitioned to the living room, wine glasses still in hand. "They were - "

"Unexpected?"

Castle gave her a sheepish look. She didn't blame him. Her reliance on coffee and take out hardly hinted at her hidden talent.

"My mom and grandma both loved to cook. They insisted that I learn. These were actually some of my mom's favorite recipes."

Kate was quietly pleased to see interest spark in his eyes.

"My mom spent part of her childhood in France. Her mom is French, so they went back to Paris for a couple of years. Anyway, cooking helped my mom reminisce whenever she would get nostalgic."

Castle smiled at her, tacitly urging her to continue.

"Cooking wasn't quite enough to lull her homesickness after a while." A small smile stretched across Kate's face as she recalled her mother's frustration. "A few years after she started at Columbia, she decided enough was enough and arranged a temporary exchange with la Sorbonne. She loved Manhattan too much to take off permanently, yet she wanted us to spend an extended amount of time in Paris. We ended up spending almost an entire year there when I was fifteen."

"That must have been a difficult adaptation."

"It wasn't, really. I was drawn to travel at a young age, so even then, I considered the move to be an adventure. Most of my favorite memories actually lead back to that year. I got to experience many of the things my mom told me about her childhood, and that allowed me to feel even more connected to her."

Kate trailed off as she allowed the memories to flow, hooking a finger through the familiar ring that hung from her neck.

"That was the first time we were truly alone. We would have our afternoons together in New York or go off on mother-daughter weekends, but my dad and my grandmother were never far off. It was just us in Paris. No one else to share the flat with; no one else to eat dinner with; just the two of us. She didn't even spend as many hours at the university as she did at Columbia, so she would do things like meet me for lunch or greet me when I got home from school. They were all novelties I had dreamt of as a kid and appreciated all the same as a teenager. She went from being the mom I idolized to becoming someone very real, to becoming my best friend. I knew our adventure was a gift then, but it's looking back, now, that I can truly grasp at just how fortunate I was to have that year with her."

Kate let her now misty gaze shift from the glistening chain wrapped around her index finger to the man who was facing her. She didn't know what to expect in meeting his eyes, but the purely affectionate look which he bestowed upon her was far better than anything she could have imagined. Few people in her present world knew of her year in Paris just as few people were capable of handling evocations of Johanna Beckett in an agreeable way. Kate feared the pity and sympathy that would surely pierce the sanctity of this particular set of memories if she were to share it with the wrong person.

Then again, she never would have expected for the man who had irritatingly wormed his way in to her world to become one of those "right" people, to become the first man she would trust with such knowledge. Yet, now that she had, Kate understood why she had been able to open up to him, why the story had come so easily. The Rick Castle who now sat beside and whose fingers were grasping her own, the man who had made his way in to her heart was in no way the man she had assessed him to be the night she dragged him into the Precinct for questioning two years prior. He deeply cared for her, something he had proved to her as a friend and was now reaffirming with his every gesture, in a way that exuded comfort.

She didn't need for him to say anything. His continued presence was enough.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_First off, a__ very special thank you to IMW and her _much_ valued input. _; )

_I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. It took its time to materialize, but once it did, I personally ended up enjoying writing it much more than the last few._

_As to the end of the previous chapter, I feel the need to specify that I did not pull Kate out of the office just because she felt like going for a walk. I meant to imply that it was the end of the work day. _

_I would love it if you reviewed and told me what you thought!_


	10. Chapter 10

_Author's Note:_

_Before you start reading, please keep in mind that it is still late February in this particular universe. Less than a week has elapsed since the beginning of the story._

_This chapter goes to IMW. I probably would have given up on the story long ago without her encouragement. Thank you so very much for your constant help with not only this but with the last couple of chapters. You're truly the best. _:)

* * *

Disclaimer: In no way do either _Castle_ or its characters belong to me.

* * *

Kate awoke hours later, still dressed in the cashmere shift she had donned much earlier in the evening. She quickly realized she was not in her bed but in her living room. Empty wine glasses lay abandoned on a side table while Rick's coat still adorned the back of a chair, reminding her she was not alone.

Sitting up, her eyes drifted to Rick, whom she spotted staring intently out the window. She smiled as she remembered their evening. The two had conversed for hours, interrupted only by a phone call from an already frustrated Alexis. Sick of endless shopping trips after only three days with her mother, the young girl had turned to planning her upcoming trip and had wanted to run a few of her ideas by Kate, unaware of the detective's date with her father. Kate hadn't alerted her to Rick's presence, not wanting the redhead to feel as if she couldn't call her whenever she wanted. As Alexis had rambled on, Kate had listened, interjecting when necessary yet thoroughly impressed by the obvious effort her youthful friend had put into her preparation. However, Kate hadn't been the only one to be impressed.

Rick had quickly determined that his daughter was on the other line, her peppy voice being far from quiet when animated, and spent the duration of the conversation warmly watching his girlfriend. His eyes had lit up as she and Alexis laughed, his mouth twitching as he fought the urge to join them. That Alexis was the center of Rick's world was no secret, but that he so earnestly approved of Kate's connection with the girl was something she couldn't help but find intimidating. As her time with Alexis truly was a pleasure, she had no founded reason to worry, yet she was weary of making a wrong move and damaging not one but two relationships.

Kate knew that these fears traced back to her childhood, her disapproval having caused many of her parents' romantic alliances to end. Rationally, she also knew that not a single of her relationships with any of those people could be compared to the friendship she now had with Alexis. The girl had sought her ought for advice long before Kate had begun to seriously consider the possibility of pursuing anything with Castle. The two had bonded and their friendship had quickly been formed. Alexis often turned to Kate, and Kate in turn welcomed Alexis. Forcing herself to keep this difference in mind, Kate had been able to push her fears to the far corners of her mind for the remainder of the evening.

Watching Rick now, Kate allowed her thoughts to drift back to the conversation that had followed Alexis' phone call. Always curious, Rick had made several connections of his own while listening to Kate's half of the call.

_"Considering how often Alexis has been turning to you about this trip… Just how much does she know about your time in Paris with your mom?"_

_"She knows I've spent quite some time in the city and that it was an enriching experience. She just doesn't know the specific circumstances surrounding my year abroad."_

_Rick nodded, his eyes soft as he followed up her response with another question,"Why do you guard the memory?"_

_Kate surveyed him before answering,"You're the writer. What do you think? Why would Nikki Heat guard something like this?"_

_"You're not Nikki Heat," Rick replied, his unexpected answer drawing Kate's gaze to his own. "No?"_

_"No. She isn't quite tall enough."_

_Kate smiled softly at his expression._

_"Then, why do you think Kate Beckett would secure such a memory?"_

_"Ah. Well, Kate Beckett is a different story. She's much more selective of her company, protective of her past, unwilling to share it with the wrong person. She doesn't want those who look into her past to only see the tragic and to overshadow the rest with pity, especially when it comes to her mother. She cherishes every memory, wishing to preserve each and every one for as long as possible not because she lives in the past, but because her past has shaped her into the extraordinary woman she is today. Hence, her memories remind her of who she is, affirm her daily choices, and inspire her future. Unwilling to relinquish them into the wrong set of hands, she guards them while she figures out whether or not her companions are worthy of her trust."_

_From their very first case together, Rick had been able to read her with unnerving accuracy. Though she had come to expect the unexpected from him, this was something she had yet to get used to as she found his observations to be unsettling yet oddly occurrence was no different._

_Shifting her eyes from the ottoman on which they had been fixated, Kate met his gaze._

_"I think you have your answer."_

While such topics might have constrained her conversations with others, it had only deepened theirs.

Quietly, Kate slipped into the buttery leather flats that lay at her feet and made her way behind the couch, curious as to what had caught her partner's attention. Shivering slightly as she neared the frozen window, Kate took in the swirling mass of snow that was quickly covering the city streets. Having sensed her approach, Rick shifted his attention from the storm to her, pressing a kiss to her hair and looping an arm around her as she nuzzled into his side.

Kate gave him a sidelong look, pointing out, "You're still here."

"I'm hardly one to sneak out in the middle of the night."

"That goes against the Rick Castle image, don't you think?" Kate teased.

"Somehow, I don't think I would be here if I fit the Rick Castle image as seen by the public."

"Somehow, I think you're right."

Rick grinned, hugging her closer as they lapsed into a comfortable silence, their thoughts drifting along with the snow. Eventually, it was Rick who put an end to the stillness, his breath tickling her ear as he cautiously spoke her name.

"Hmm?"

"I keep thinking about what you told me, and I can't help but wonder… Have you been back to Paris since that year?"

Kate frowned ever so slightly at the question. Rick Castle was nothing if not a schemer.

"Once." Pushing her curiosity momentarily aside, Kate smiled wistfully. "My mom let me plan the summer after graduation. We spent most of it in Europe, and I made sure to end the trip with ten days in Paris. My grandmother was with us that time, so I have a different - wonderful, but different - set of memories from that visit."

Rick considered this.

"Would you like to go back?"

Kate shifted so that she was standing in front of him, his arms loosely wrapped around her waist. She assessed his gaze, finding tacit assurance that he wasn't partaking in any kind of subterfuge. Satisfied, she answered.

"Eventually, yes; but as of now, the memories are still too raw."

Rick nodded, his lopsided smile assuring her the subject would be laid to rest… for now.

* * *

Morning brought with it the end of the storm and the smell of sizzling pancakes, drawing Kate from the peaceful slumber she had encountered after her early morning discussion with the man who was now making himself at home in her kitchen. Taking in the sight of her boyfriend busily bustling about, Kate padded into the room. This was the second time she had seen him making breakfast this week, and she couldn't help but hope it was a sight she would often behold from now on. She smiled as she watched him pour pancake batter onto a griddle. Yes, she could certainly grow accustomed to Richard Castle bustling about her kitchen.

"Good morning."

Rick rested the spatula beside the growing stack of pancakes before turning to greet her and drawing her into a kiss.

"Good morning."

Kate moved to wrap her arms around him as he turned back to the stove.

"I smell coffee."

Rick chest rumbled under her arms as he laughingly replied, "There's a pot adorned with your name on the table."

Kate leaned up to kiss him on the cheek before moving to pour herself a cup of the aromatic substance.

"And this is why I let you spend the night."

"You and the blizzard."

"Oh, it had nothing to do with the snow. I just didn't want to leave the apartment for brunch."

"And here I thought you saw me as your boyfriend."

"Nope, just as my personal chef."

"You wound me, Detective."

Kate chuckled, leaning against the counter facing the stove, mug in hand.

"I think your ego can handle it."

* * *

"Beckett."

Kate's phone had rung, interrupting their leisurely breakfast. Seeing as it was Esposito, it was likely to interrupt the rest of their day, as well.

Kate sighed as he filled her in.

"Lex and 64th?"

Jotting down a couple more notes, she promised to get there soon and hung up.

"Case?" Rick asked, less enthusiastically than on any previous occasion.

Kate gave him a sympathetic look.

"It seems like blizzards get in the way of just about everything but murder."

* * *

Stuck in traffic several minutes later, the couple amused themselves by discussing their strategy for dealing with their coworkers. Both had agreed that keeping their relationship to themselves, with the exception of their direct families, was best for the time being. Kate knew she would be able to keep up her usual stance towards Castle on the job; he, on the other hand, was hardly known for being able to hide his emotions…

"So, what are we going to do when we get to the scene?"

"We act normal. I make a few witty observations, impress everyone with my perceptive skills. You roll your eyes numerous times, all the while secretly swooning at my brilliance, and give Ryan and Esposito a few orders, and _then_ we get out of there and go make out in the car," Castle explained enthusiastically.

Kate couldn't help but smirk. Despite the emotional sensitivity he had shown her lately, underneath it all, the same, annoying fifteen year old remained.

"Ha. _Ha_."

"You said we were supposed to act normal," Castle innocently stated.

"And by that I meant professional…"

"That would be my attempt at professional. Besides, they would know something's different if I suddenly become too serious."

Kate sighed her consent.

Castle grinned. They both knew about the precinct bet in which everyone had participated and were determined to prevent the victory of their friends. They had no doubt that Ryan had tipped off the rest of the trio on Friday and that at least one of them had changed their bet to the current date.

"So I was thinking… we can come out on… say April 5th?"

He wasn't really saying what she thought he was, was he? Then again, he _was_ Castle and the Castle she knew was hardly one to keep out of a wager.

"Wait… _You're_ in on the bet? That's so-"

"Brilliant?"

"I was going to go with cocky."

"In all fairness, there was no doubt that we would get together eventually," Rick stated confidently. "It was sure fact."

"Was it, now?" Kate asked, pulling into a parking spot.

"Indeed."

Kate gave him a soft smile and squeezed his hand before reaching for the door handle.

"Let's go."

Walking close yet without invading enough personal space to attract abnormal attention, they made their way towards the crime scene. Behind the yellow tape, Lanie Parish could be seen crouching beside a pool of blood, its kiss staining the city slush. Bright crimson glared up at Kate, reminding her that the gray much was not, in fact, the worst thing in the world.

Arriving at the scene, Kate announced their presence.

"What have we got?"

"You're not going to believe this one."

"Try me," Kate and Castle challenged simultaneously.

"Cute." Lanie looked them up and down, muttering, "It's below freezing on a Sunday morning and you two still manage to be in sync." Entertained, she shook her head before moving on to the case, "I can't say I've ever seen anything like it before. Should interest both of you. Especially you, Castle. Let's just say it seems like just the type of murder weapon that you would create in one of your books."

Lanie's gaze flickered between the duo before she gestured up, causing Castle to exclaim as he took in the cold induced additions to the ridge of the structure.

"Seriously?"

Lanie nodded amusedly. "Mhmm. The shape of the wound indicates that his abdomen was punctured by a foot long icicle. The angle, however, as well as the location of the wound suggests that this was not an accidental case of falling ice. "

Castle's eyes lit up at the description. He was surely reveling in all the plot possibilities.

"This is _so_ cool!"

Kate rolled her eyes at the Castle-ism as the man in question took off to scrutinize the scene and turned back to her friend in disbelief.

"Deliberate stabbing by icicle? _Really_? "

"Oh, I'm quite serious," Lanie deadpanned. "I made sure you were put on the case. I know this sort of thing is right up your alley."

If Kate wasn't confused before, she certainly was now.

"Thank you?"

"Come on, girl! Icicle. Stabbing. Melting finger prints. You do like the freaky ones, after all, and if _this_doesn't qualify as freaky, I don't know what does. I thought this would be the perfect welcome back mystery for you."

Kate stared at the M.E. as she took in her explanation. She couldn't help but admit that her best friend was being truthful… and thoughtful. She _did_ like the challenging cases, and this was certainly an interesting one.

"That's… sweet? Creepy - very creepy - but sweet nonetheless. Thank you."

Lanie smiled, giving both her and Castle knowing looks.

"Anything to increase the time you and Writer Boy spend together."

"Lanie!"

"What? I'm just reminding you of what all but you two idiots can see."

"And that would be?"

Lanie smirked.

"Just that the two of you enjoy each other's company."

Kate snorted just as Esposito called out, waving her over to the alley adjacent to the building.

"Hey, Beckett!"

Allowing the corners of her mouth to twitch upward as she left the medical examiner behind, Kate made her way over to her fellow detective. Lanie might have been right, but she wasn't going to give any additional fodder to her speculation by acknowledging the truth. Her friend could certainly wait for another day to tease her about her sidekick. For now she just wanted to finish her job at the scene, free of gossip, and get back to enjoying her day with Rick. The rest would come later.

"Castle!"

Rick had made his way partly down the block, surely contemplating a backstory to the crime, but he jogged over as she beckoned for him to accompany her.

"Miss me already?" he whispered in her ear, allowing his hand to subtly graze her own as he arrived at her side.

Kate suppressed a smile and briefly hooked her pinky through his. Maybe the suggestion he had made in the car hadn't been his worst idea.

* * *

_If you're still on board, I would love to hear your thoughts. Your reviews shall make my day._


	11. Chapter 11

Kate sprinted off of the Castle elevator and onto the newly polished parquet. Having listened to numerous stories about Jacqueline in the last month, Alexis had asked to meet the elderly woman. Jacqueline had been delighted by the request, and the three women had decided upon a casual brunch. Today was the agreed upon morning, and Kate was running some twenty minutes behind schedule.

Catching her breath, Kate reached out to ring the bell, only to have the door swing open seconds later. Alexis stood on the other side, her coat already donned and a dazzling smile spreading across her features, masking any signs of either the impatience or nerves Kate had expected.

"Hi, Lex!" Kate greeted, moving to hug the teenager. "I'm so sorry for being late. I couldn't get a cab. I didn't want to tempt our luck for this leg of the trip, so I kept mine waiting."

"Perfect," Alexis assured, stepping in to the hall and reaching for the door.

"Is your dad -"

"He's in a meeting with Gina _and_ Paula."

"On a Sunday morning?"

Alexis rolled her eyes.

"They decided, just last night, that he didn't have sufficient press scheduled for _Naked Heat_, so they're trying to bargain with him before the book comes out."

Kate cringed. "How do you feel about that?"

Alexis shrugged.

"It's his job. As long as it doesn't include too many distractions while we're in Paris next week, I don't mind. "

Kate reached out, wrapping her arm around Alexis' shoulders, eliciting a smile from the teenager as they stepped off the elevator moments later.

"So, where are we going, exactly?"

"Balthazar. You said you wanted the two of us to go shopping afterwards, so I thought we could eat there, hit a few places in Soho and then go uptown if need be. What do you think?"

"Perfect."

Alexis beamed as she climbed in to the waiting cab.

"I'm excited to meet Jacqueline," she stated moments later as the car sped off.

"I have no doubt whatsoever that the two of you will get along."

Alexis smiled and the two drifted into silence, taking in the New Yorkers busily bustling about their weekend activities. Alexis was the first to speak again.

"I actually wanted to thank you. It's just that I've never done this before," she confessed. "I mean - Gina never introduced me to her family; I guess she didn't think it was important. Dad hasn't been serious with anyone since. It just means a lot to me that you trust me enough to introduce me to your grandmother."

Kate found herself at a loss for words. She had spent her fair share of time on Alexis' side of the fence, having strongly disliked meeting her parents' significant others themselves and had even done everything in her power to avoid meeting their relatives. So when Alexis had expressed an interest in meeting Jacqueline, Kate had simply been caught off guard. Now, hearing just how much the introduction meant to her, Kate struggled for an answer as she reached for the girl's hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Lex, you need to know that my relationship with you does not, in any way, depend upon my relationship with your dad. You and I were friends before _he_ and I got together, and we would still be friends had he and I _not_ started dating. I'm happy to do this now, and I'm touched that it means so much to you," Kate answered, obtaining a smile in response.

Moments later, the cab pulled up to Spring and Crosby.

"Ready?"

"Ready," Alexis affirmed with a nod as she reached for the door handle.

Kate joined her on the curb moments later, and, together, they made their way inside.

* * *

Orders placed and the menus taken away, the three women found themselves facing conversation for the twenty minutes it would take for their selections to arrive.

Observing her grandmother, Kate noticed the tell-tale smile that indicated she was not yet comfortable in Alexis' company. Jacqueline was well attuned to society; throwing and attending numerous dinner parties every week throughout her youth and a continuing circle of friends meant that her surroundings rarely lacked conversation. Yet, despite her almost ninety years, she had yet to grow accustomed to adolescents and their interests, often finding them tiresome and even outright irritating. She had continued to get along with her own granddaughter throughout most of her teen years due to the fact that Kate had had the maturity of a much older person, and as Alexis held the same characteristic, Kate hoped that Jacqueline would make an exception for the redhead.

Giving her grandmother an encouraging look, Kate launched the conversation, "Alexis was just showing me some brochures on the summer program at Oxford."

She knew the topic was well favored by Alexis, and as Oxford was her grandfather's alma mater, she knew Jacqueline would go along with it.

"Ah, yes, Katherine mentioned that you are considering Oxford. The program would be a wonderful way to become acquainted with the school."

Alexis nodded fervently.

"That's what I think; visiting the campus only gives you so much of an idea while this program would give me the impression of what it would actually be like to be a student there."

Jacqueline smiled in approval, giving Kate a look to let her know that she had accurately described the teenager to her.

"Have you had a chance to visit the university?"

"Not yet. We may go in June. My dad actually suggested we make a detour at the end of our trip next week, but I would have to miss school in order to do so, and I can't afford to miss another day at this point." Jacqueline raised her eyebrows, causing Alexis to quickly add, "I had the flu last month and missed a day and a half of class."

Kate quickly reached for her napkin, holding back laughter in memory of the tears that had followed the tarnishing of the girl's otherwise perfect attendance record.

Jacqueline, however, chuckled before expressing that early summer was the perfect time of year to visit the university. "My husband studied at King's College, and we would often go back to visit in June."

Alexis smiled, exclaiming, "Kate mentioned he did his undergrad there. Did you study there as well?"

"No, I studied literature at la Sorbonne. My parents sent me to Montreux for a year beforehand, but I didn't want to leave my hometown for university."

"I can understand that. I'm applying to Columbia and NYU, as well, just in case I chicken out and don't make it abroad. Though, I must admit that I love the idea of studying in Paris. I would have seriously looked at Sorbonne had I been able to speak French."

"Do you study the language?"

"I only just started. I studied German for a year, but our teacher, Fraulein Sonnenberg, barely taught us anything, so I decided to switch."

Watching her two companions interact with relative ease, Kate leaned back in the booth, surprised to be overcome with relief. She hadn't been especially nervous going into the brunch, but she now realized just how much she had wished for Jacqueline and Alexis to get along. Jacqueline had always been a central figure in her life; it was needless to say that her approval of others made things simpler for Kate. Kate knew that her grandmother approved of Rick and genuinely encouraged their relationship, but she had been weary of the fact that he had a teenage daughter, despite all that Kate had told her about the girl who was beyond her years. Seeing Jacqueline relax as she forgot that she was speaking to a sixteen year old, Kate sipped at her Bellini, grateful that undesired obstacles had not arisen.

* * *

Kate's sense of relief remained intact several hours later as she and Alexis were to be found perusing the selection at their first stop of the afternoon. The day was shaping up to be just as relaxing as Kate had desired it to be. Brunch had come to a close as a genuine success, leaving all three women happy to have engaged in the meal. Jacqueline had then rushed off to meet with the same group of friends she met with every Sunday afternoon for as long as Kate could remember, while Kate and Alexis had embarked on the second chapter of their day and walked the three blocks to Intermix. Alexis had rambled on about Jacqueline for the duration of their stroll, obviously having been impressed by the old woman, and paused only to give Kate a hug. Now, holding up a peach, light pink and white block shift, Alexis turned to Kate.

"What do you think?"

"It's very you," Kate approved as Alexis held on to the girly dress.

"Aren't you trying anything on?"

"I may look at some of the trenches. I must admit I'm quite tempted by Burberry's suede versions."

Alexis shook her head with a smirk.

"Trench coats may look fantastic on you, but you need to try other things today, too. Please," she added in response to the uncertain look upon Kate's face. "How about this?" she asked, holding up a white eyelet blazer. "It's feminine but versatile enough that you can still pull it off at work."

Kate considered both the piece and the girl who was suggesting it. It took one look at Alexis' gleaming eyes to suspect that she was conspiring towards more than simply feminizing her wardrobe. Noting that the jacket really was quite pretty and knowing that the lieu in which Alexis wanted her to wear it had nothing to do with the Twelfth Precinct, she consented with a smirk of her own and followed the girl toward the dressing room.

* * *

Leaving the Soho Bloomingdales late in the afternoon, Alexis and Kate found themselves to be exhausted and yearning for caffeine. Soon after, they traipsed into the Broadway Starbucks and its synonymous promise of relaxation. Having sent Alexis in search of a table, Kate made her way to the counter, her thoughts drifting to their day as she waited for their drinks. The hours spent going from store to store had thankfully been successful. Her travel wardrobe complete, Alexis was satisfied while Kate had enjoyed proffering her advice while simultaneously picking up several more pieces for herself. It had been months since the two had gone shopping together and the two had enjoyed the afternoon all the more because of it.

With a signature hot chocolate for Alexis in one hand and a vanilla latte in the other, Kate started for the table Alexis had procured, finding the girl fiddling with her iPhone, seemingly lost in thought. Alexis jumped as Kate sat the drink in front of her, her head shooting up to look at Kate, a familiarly nervous look on her face.

"Is everything ok?"

"Yeah."

"You sure?"

"Um…" Alexis hesitated. "Do you remember what I asked of you last week? The day I had the afternoon off of school?"

Kate nodded. Alexis had called her at work one morning almost two weeks ago, insistent that they meet at one of their favorite sushi places.

"Well…" Alexis ventured, her tone unnaturally uneasy. "I know you said, no, but I feel like a lot has happened since then. You introduced Dad to _your_ dad last weekend. You just introduced me to Jacqueline. You've been spending way more time at the loft, and you and Dad seem even more attached at the hip than before. I'm not really surprised that you're moving quickly; anyone who knows you and Dad knew that your relationship was bound to happen. It's just that you both seem so comfortable, as if you've been together for ages. So, I was wondering if… hoping that perhaps you've reconsidered."

Kate sighed, acknowledging all that her favorite redhead had pointed out and thinking of their initial conversation.

_ After finishing a story about a boy in European History, Alexis reached for a Green Envy roll, looking down to hide her blush._

_ "He sounds wonderful, Alexis," Kate ventured " - and now I know why you were so adamant we have lunch." _

_ Alexis chuckled before responding, "Actually… That's not quite my reason for asking you here."_

_ Kate's smile dropped at the sheepish expression that had suddenly covered Alexis' face. _

_"Is something wrong?"_

_ Alexis rapidly shook her head._

_ "No, no. I just wanted to ask you something… from me... Dad actually has _nothing_ to do with this." Alexis trailed off, twirling a roll in her soy sauce. _

_ "Lex?" _

_ The girl sighed, abandoning all in hand, and looked Kate in the eye._

_ "I think you should come to Paris with us," she blurted out, banishing her nerves. _

_ Kate's eyes widened as she took a deep breath, processing her wish. _

_ Alexis, however, went on before Kate could reply, "Think about it. It would be fantastic!" _

_ "You were so worried when your dad started talking about a book tour… I thought you wanted this vacation to be just the two of you?"_

_ "I _did_, but … The three of us would have so much fun together, and you know the city so well. Not to mention you speak the language fluently. Besides, you've been so helpful in my planning of the trip that it would only feel right if you joined us." _

_ Kate smiled uneasily, placing her hand atop Alexis'. _

_ "Sweetie, I'm flattered that you want me there - truly - but I think it would be much too soon for something like this. Your dad and I have only been together for a few weeks -"_

_ "Yes, but you've been friends, _close_ friends for well over a year," Alexis interjected, "and you've acted like a couple for most of that time."_

_ Kate looked down, her stomach churning out of guilt. She wanted to be able to grant Alexis' wish, but she had yet to attain that power. _

_ "Lex, I'm sorry. I just can't." _

_ Alexis nodded curtly before forcing a smile. _

_ "Maybe next time?"_

_ Kate agreed and watched as Alexis' expression became genuine, relieved that Alexis had been satisfied with the promise._

The reality of the matter was that while Alexis had seemed to be happy with their solution, by the end of the day, Kate hadn't been. She hadn't given any previous thought to joining the Castles on their trip, certain that it was their father daughter trip of the year. Yet, now that Alexis has planted the seed, the appeal of joining them slowly blossomed, and it slowly weeded out her fears. She was still intimidated by the concept of returning to Paris and unleashing countless raw memories, but, for the first time since her mother's passing, her fear began to wither. Though the memories were still raw, they were equally beautiful, and she saw no reason to avoid them any longer. Her argument that it was still too soon in her relationship with Castle to join him and his daughter on vacation was still valid, but so was Alexis' argument - the depth of their formative friendship outweighed Kate's concerns and their current relationship hardly resembled that of a newly formed romance.

"Kate?"

Drawn from her thoughts, Kate knew she was leaning towards changing her answer.

"I _have_ given some thought to it."

Alexis' eyes lit up, promising that her nerves had vanished.

"Does that mean you'll come with us?"

"I need to check a few things first, make sure I can take time off work. I also need to know that you're absolutely certain you want me to -"

"I am!"

Kate smiled at her enthusiasm before adding to the conditions, "And I need to talk to your dad about it. If he agrees and wants me to come along as well, then, yes, I will come with you."

Alexis squealed, getting out of her seat to hug her friend.

"There's no way Dad isn't going to agree. Honestly, I think he'll be squealing more than me."

"I hope you're right."

* * *

Kate made her way to the precinct shortly after six on Monday morning. Her team had solved a complex case on Saturday afternoon, breaking their suspect mid-interrogation, but she had had to rush off to get ready for her date with Rick right after and had consequently not yet had the time to complete the paper work. Knowing that she would have to discuss the possibility of taking the following week off with the Captain as soon as possible, Kate decided that the savory silence of the morning was the best time to catch up on her work.

No sooner had she filled out the last page and looked up from her paper work that she saw both a still steaming latte as well as a subtly substantial envelope laying on her desk as well as a smiling author sitting in his chair. Somehow, she had failed to sense his arrival in the still empty bullpen.

"When did you get here?" Kate queried, turning her chair towards her partner and happily reaching for her drink.

"Five minutes ago."

"Creepy."

Castle chuckled, scooting his chair forward.

"It seems as though your detective skills have failed you."

Kate smiled sheepishly before her gaze shifted to the envelope, her eyebrows silently questioning its contents.

"Open it."

Brow still raised, Kate complied, reaching for her letter opener. Pulling out a plane ticket, she sucked in her breath and looked up to meet Rick's twinkling gaze.

"Alexis told you?"

"She did," Rick affirmed, breaking out into a grin. "I've trained her well."

Kate rolled her eyes.

"I see you didn't take much time to mull it over."

"What's there to think about?"

"You don't think this is too soon?"

"For us? Or for you?"

"For us."

"No, I don't," Rick stated confidently, his tone oozing sincerity. "I feel like you know me better than any woman I've been with in the past and this is probably the first time the thought of going on vacation with both my daughter and my girlfriend doesn't fill me with horror. It might seem a little fast, but we're hardly the type to stick to social guidelines. It feels right, and I think that's all that matters."

Kate smiled softly and reached across the corner of her desk for his hand, disregarding their precinct rules.

"I won't deny that I'm a little terrified, but this feels like a very natural decision to me, too."

Rick smiled, moving to cup her cheek with his untangled hand.

"Despite the past?"

Kate nodded, promising,"Despite the past. Truly."

"So you'll come?" Rick breathed, leaning towards her.

Kate leaned in further.

"I will."

Rick beamed, closing the remaining gap between them as the couple became oblivious both to their surroundings and to the ding of the elevator.

"Well, well, well. Look at what we have here!"

Kate pulled away, silently cursing her coworker for his ill timing.

"Is something wrong, Ryan?"

"Not at all, Boss. I'm glad to see the two of you finally figured things out." The detective paused, looking at them knowingly before breaking into a grin. "Actually, I need to make a call. Excuse me."

Castle guffawed as Ryan scuttled into the break room, the phone already affixed to his ear, not bothering to close the door.

"Bro, who bet on today in the Castle/Beckett pool?" they heard seconds later, muffled from the neighboring room.

Kate chuckled, turning towards her writer and shaking her head.

"Today doesn't happen to be - "

"April 5th? Why, yes; yes, it does."

"Nicely played, Mr. Castle. Nicely played."

Rick smirked, theatrically bowing his head in acknowledgement. Kate looked on in amusement, surprised to find that she had no qualms about their outing. Her confidence in their relationship had grown infinitely since that night in February and it felt natural for those who worked closest to them to know the truth. Besides, it was all worth a couple of teasing remarks.

There was, however, one more thing she needed to do before making their vacation plans final, and that one thing was motioning for her to go into the Captain's office. She had no doubt that her mentor would readily give her the time off; if the imposed R&R from last month hadn't been enough to assure her of this, the approving glance he was now shooting towards the couple surely was. Kate took a deep breath and stood up. Grazing Rick's shoulder with her fingers, she beseeched him to do the same, and, together, they made their way into the enclosed office.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Thank you, as always, to IMW for her indispensable help. : ) Thank you, also, to all of you who have shown support through reviews, favorites and alerts! You all make my day._


	12. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Neither _Castle_ nor its characters belong to me.

* * *

Eleven days, a six hour flight, and a traffic afflicted, hour long drive later, Kate Beckett gazed out the window as her cab pulled onto Avenue George V. Taking in the perfectly aligned rows of trees that led to her destination, she was filled with a dizzying mixture of emotions. Joy to be returning to a city she truly loved. Apprehension of disturbing dormant memories. Excitement to see the two people who would be waiting for her at her hotel.

It was all Kate could do to bite back a smile at the thought of seeing Castle in mere minutes. Two years ago... hell, even two months ago, she wouldn't have even been able to imagine traveling 3,600 miles in order to spend ten days with the cheeky author and his daughter, yet nothing seemed more appealing to her at the moment.

A porter opened her door as the cab finally pulled up to the hotel, and nerves unexpectedly came rushing in with the blinding sunlight. What _did_ she think she was doing? Rushing off to Paris with her boyfriend after only two months? Rational people just didn't do things like that. Then again, her relationship with Castle was hardly logical, and they had never been ones to stick to social guidelines. Kate paused to take a deep breath and stopped her train of thought before it had a chance to burrow in to her mind. She had given the trip endless thought since Alexis had suggested it. She had talked it through with Rick. She had made her decision. A _rational_ decision. She was here, and she was going to go through the doors in front of her.

Entering the lobby, she knew she had done the right thing not only in the simple action of walking through the doors, but also in agreeing to come. Standing to her right was a grinning author, eyebrows raised, doing little to hide the sheer joy in his expression.  
"You're here!" he exclaimed gleefully as he moved forward to envelope her in his embrace. Relaxing in his arms, Kate breathed him in and felt her nerves melt away, as the feeling of being exactly where she should be overwhelmed her.

Leaving her arms wrapped around him, she leaned back just far enough to make eye contact. Meeting his gaze, she beamed.

"You missed me," she teased.

"Of course I did. How could I not? And unlike _some_ people, I don't have any trouble admitting it," he ribbed, referring to her reluctance to admit that very thing during their first few phone calls earlier in the week. "Isn't that so?" he asked, nuzzling her nose.

Instead of answering, Kate rolled her eyes and closed to gap between them, kissing him softly.

Pulling away, Castle grinned and reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together.

"Not that I wouldn't like for that to have been enough to wake you up, something tells me you could do with some coffee," he suggested knowingly, motioning to the courtyard at the center of the lobby. "I'm sure the hotel is going to be very happy with the sudden increase in consumption during your stay."

Kate chuckled, knowing it to be true.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, and I _will_ deny it, but maybe later?"

"Are you alright?" Rick asked, his brow knitting together.

Kate smiled softly. "I'm fine. Just tired. I've never been able to sleep on planes, no matter the circumstances."

"Says the woman who will run a case for three days straight all while working her way through the precinct's supply of espresso beans," Castle teased, all while guiding Kate down the hall.

"That may be true," Kate acquiesced, "but I'm well past the point where excessive amounts of caffeine will do me any good. I actually didn't get much sleep the night before leaving, either."

"Case?"

"Not exclusively… I wanted to finish the paperwork on the Pearson case before leaving, so I stayed a little later than I had planned at the precinct. The only problem with that is that I had waited until last night to pack."

"Really? Somehow I always thought you would be the type to pack a week in advance."

"Well, usually I would, but," Kate paused, an involuntary yawn interrupting her explanation.

Castle chuckled, "Why do I suspect you're barely going to make it to the bed?"

"Feeling confident, are we?"

Rick grinned before correcting her, "I was talking about a nap."

"Oh."

"I'm assuming you want one?"

Kate nodded sheepishly. If she were being honest with herself, a nap unquestionably topped the list of her present desires... preferably with Castle by her side. Everything else could wait.

* * *

Just over two hours later, Kate woke from her nap, disoriented by her surroundings, but happy to find Castle dozing beside her, _The Picture of Dorian Gray_ splayed out on his chest. He had been right in that she had barely made it to the bed, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow without giving a moment's thought to unpacking or changing into something more comfortable. The fact that Castle had opted to stay beside her during the time she was practically passed out brought a smile to her lips. She had gotten used to his presence more than she cared to admit, and while she was far from being dependent upon it, she loved waking up to him by her side. Reasoning that they could do with a little more sleep, Kate reached over to move the dog-eared book to the night table and cuddled into Castle's side.

* * *

Finally succumbing to the need for caffeine, Kate and Castle had reluctantly gotten up and were now sitting in the George V courtyard, their coffee cups already empty.

Kate had paused as she had stepped outside, a distant memory washing over her. Strangely, it wasn't one of her mother but of her father, and it wasn't one of her last trip to Paris. Years ago, Johanna had been called to make a last minute appearance at a partnering firm in Paris. Instead of simply taking custody of his daughter for the week, Jim Beckett had opted to join his ex-wife on the trip. Kate had been five at the time and remembered little more than the elation she had felt in knowing that her parents had finally accepted to be friends. She had forgotten that they had stayed at the same hotel in which she currently found herself. That is, she had forgotten until she was confronted with the image of her five-year-old self running circles around a corner table of this very same courtyard, driving both her father and the assembly of waiters insane. The corners of her mouth curled up at the recollection, and the thirty-year-old Kate smiled. _Maybe this wasn't going to be so painful after all_.

It was then that she realized that someone was prominently missing from their party. Frowning, she turned toward Castle.

"Where's Alexis? I must admit I half expected her to be waiting in the lobby with you."

"And yet you're only asking now?"

Kate filled with guilt at the solemn expression on her partner's face. She had been so tired upon arrival that she had completely forgotten to enquire after the girl.

"I -" she searched for an answer, only to be interrupted by a chuckling Castle.

"I'm kidding. I'm impressed that you could even process your whereabouts when you got here."

Kate shot Castle a glare. "Ha. Ha."

"Alexis honestly wanted to greet you this morning, but I may have selfishly sent her off for the day. It turns out one of her friends from middle school is living here now, so I encouraged her to contact her. They're spending the afternoon together... something about the Marais. I'm sure it'll cost me, but it did buy me something priceless."

"And what would that be?" Kate inquired, knowing very well that something corny was on its way.

"The afternoon with you." _Sure enough_. "Since you refused to join us sooner..."

"You know that was my condition for joining you at _all_. You planned this week with Alexis. I didn't want to change that." Kate had, in fact, delayed her departure so that she would arrive the day before Castle started the string of publicity events he had been tied into attending several weeks ago. This way, she knew everyone would be happy; Castle and Alexis would have several days together, Alexis wouldn't be alone while her father was occupied, and the three of them could spend the evenings together.

"And that is exactly why I love you."

Kate started, her eyes shooting to his. She half expected to find a mischievous glint in his eyes, something to indicate that he hadn't been serious or even that she had misheard. Instead, she found only sincerity in a gaze with which she had been familiarized in the past few weeks but which she could only now define. For the second time that afternoon, Kate broke into an uncontrollable grin.

Placing her hand above his on his knee, Kate reached across the space between their chairs and kissed soundly, hoping to convey her emotions in the brief embrace. That she reciprocated his feelings was indubitable – that much she had understood several weeks ago – but whether she was ready to speak them out loud was. Pulling away, she met his gaze. The two had hardly needed words to communicate in the past, and the elated glint in Castle's eyes told her that they didn't need them now. She beamed as he turned his hand over to clasp hers and mirrored her expression. No, this most certainly wasn't going to be an upsetting trip.

* * *

"No!"

"I'm absolutely serious."  
"I can't believe I missed this! Please tell me you have video."  
Kate shot him a look.

"You do!" Castle exclaimed gleefully, drawing a disdainful glare from a middle-aged woman walking in the opposite direction.

The pair had opted to take a walk during the few hours they had left to themselves and were leisurely meandering without a destination in mind, content just to be in each other's company. Kate was now filling Castle in on all that he had missed at the precinct.

"Video... no, but I do have discriminating pictures."

"Let me see!"

Kate paused, her eyes sparkling as she held the phone to her right, just out of Castle's reach.

"You know... I thought you had moved up in the maturity ranks, but you seem to have jumped back down to the level of a six year old."

"You love this side of me."

Kate guffawed. If there was ever something she would refuse to admit...

"You've said so."  
"I have not!"  
"You, Kate Beckett, are quite the talkative sleeper."

Kate looked at him in horror. _Had she?_ She _did_ have a tendency to mutter in her sleep... but what could have possibly caused _that_ to come out?

Castle held her gaze in all seriousness before breaking into his signature grin.

Kate transferred her phone from right hand to left and reached across to playfully smack his arm.

"I take it from your reaction that it's true?"

"You wish."

Castle only grinned knowingly before returning to the original subject, "I believe you had something to show me."

Kate navigated her phone until she came to the sequin filled picture, which had prompted Castle's earlier disbelief. Passing it along, she waited for his reaction. If the usually composed Captain had failed to keep it together, she could only imagine... Milliseconds later, peals of laughter came from her side.

"I can't believe he went along with this." He paused to continue laughing and reached for his iPhone, doubtlessly to taunt the photo subject.

Kate had made a break in the Pearson case some days earlier and had ordered Ryan and Esposito to come in immediately, despite the late hour, so they could go over the new details. Ryan had been more than happy to rush to the precinct, having reluctantly accompanied Jenny to a costume party – so happy that he forgot to change before doing so. As a reward, the detective's shimmering, sequin "costume" had been immortalized and, to his chagrin, had been circulated throughout the precinct. Kate didn't often play dirty, but after the ribbing she had received once the duo had learned of her current vacation, she thought Ryan had gotten off easy.

As the gates of the Tuileries became visible ahead of them, all thoughts of New York vanished as another memory materialized in front of her eyes. This time, however, it did more than appear; it smacked right into her. The image of a nine-year-old Kate came skipping down the path in front of them, her laughter ringing out as she paused to wait for her companions. Johanna and Jacqueline had spent the afternoon perusing the Musée des Art Décoratifs and had decided to reward Kate with a stroll through the Tuileries. The gravel crunching under her feet and the subtle scent of the newly blossoming flowers awoke her senses and brought her back to that day with surprising clarity. The afternoon had continued with hot chocolate at Angélina and book browsing at Galignani. The day had been her favorite of that particular visit. Kate now embraced it for its carefree simplicity, thankful that the memory had returned.

Her playful mood from minutes earlier gone, Kate interlaced her fingers with Rick's and leaned into his side as they made their way into the park.

* * *

"Kate!"

Kate barely had time to close the suite door behind her and look up to see a blur of copper hair before two skinny arms were thrown around her. Chuckling mirthfully, she pulled away to greet the exuberant teenager.

"Hi, Lex."

Alexis beamed.

"I'm so glad you're here. I have so much to tell you!"

"I take it you enjoyed your day?"

"So much!" Alexis exclaimed, launching into an account of all she and Manon had done and seen over the past few hours.

Kate listened attentively, wondering at Alexis' energy. All the while, she silently thanked Castle for sending the girl off earlier in the day. She loved Alexis, truly, and was usually happy to listen to her, but she suspected that her freshly-off-the-plane, groggy self would not have been able to handle the likes of the current, peppy speech. Even now, the hour to go before Castle returned from his last-minute meeting stretched out in front of her, and she knew she was going to need some more coffee.

"Slow down!" Kate laughed. "We have all evening... all week even! Why don't you get changed, and I'll order us some coffee?" She paused, making a mental note to request decaf for Alexis, "and _then_ you can tell me all about it."

"Perfect!" Alexis consented, turning toward her bedroom. She paused mid-step, adding, "Ooh! And the guy I was telling you about from European History texted me today! We can analyze the text before dinner too!"

Kate nodded her consent as she watched Alexis retreat. Shaking her head, she smiled and reached for the phone.

* * *

"Here are my favorite girls!" Castle exclaimed, entering the suite to find Kate and Alexis on the sofa. Kate was snuggled into its corner, nursing a coffee cup and smiling as Alexis jabbered away beside her.

Kate looked up to catch him beaming as he made his way over to join them.

"Hi, Dad!" Alexis greeted, finally putting an end to her story. "How was your meeting?"

"Interesting... to say the least, but I'm glad to be back," he answered as he settled in beside Kate, lowering his voice to whisper in her ear, "I could get used to coming 'home' to this."

Kate blushed ever so slightly, quite liking the thought herself, and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek.

"You two are so cute," Alexis sighed dramatically. "Kate and I were just discussing what we should do for dinner."

"Ah, I took the liberty to make a reservation at L'Avenue... the little place we walked by this afternoon... for," he paused to look at his watch, "20 minutes from now. I thought you might want to eat a little earlier and come back to... sleep off the jet lag," he added, turning to Kate and catching her eye.

"Ugh, I take it back," Alexis shuddered. "Are you sure I can't have a room that's way down the hall or, even better, on another floor?"

Kate chortled, but Castle intervened before she had a chance to reassure Alexis.

"Don't worry, sweetie. The walls are well soundproofed."

"Rick!"

"Dad!

"What? It's true."

Kate rolled her eyes as Alexis made a sound of disgust and stood up, reaching for her coat.

"I'm going to go wait in the lobby and clear my mind before dinner." She made her way to the door before stopping to add, "Please don't take too long and ruin my efforts."

Barely waiting for the door to click shut, Castle turned to Kate and pinned her down on the couch, catching her by surprise as she burst out laughing.

"I see you're ignoring Alexis' wishes."

"Absolutely. I missed you."

"You've been gone for an _hour,_" Kate objected all while failing to hold back a smirk.

"You know what I mean."

Castle's voice lowered as he moved to brush her lips with his own before capturing them altogether. The couple quickly got lost in their embrace, stopping only when Castle's phone went off, undoubtedly due to an impatient redhead in the lobby.

"Must we go?" Castle asked, his eyes pleading her to decline even as he stood and held out his hand to help her up.

"I'll make it up to you later," Kate whispered as Castle helped her into her jacket.

"Well, in that case, I guess I could do with a meal in the company of my two favorite people in the meantime."

"I thought so. Let's go."

Yet, seconds later, Kate paused just as they stepped into the hallway.

"Rick?"

"Hmm?"

"I missed you, too."

Kate barely finished speaking before Castle grinned, lacing their fingers together as they made their way downstairs.

* * *

Dinner over with, Kate, Castle and Alexis strolled up the Rue François Ier on their way back to the hotel. Alexis walked slightly ahead, while Kate and Castle followed arm in arm. The evening had gone off without a hitch, conversation at dinner varying from Castle's highly entertaining meeting with a local publisher which the translator had failed to attend, to Alexis' trek through Victor Hugo's house earlier in the afternoon, to the father and daughter's explorations of the city. Laughter had flowed throughout, providing the perfect ending to the day. Watching Castle with Alexis interact at the table had brought visions of herself at Alexis' age with her mother to mind – the pair often finding themselves at bistros in the evenings of their year in Paris. As with the other recollections she had encountered throughout the day, the awakened memory had brought a smile to her face, yet her eyes had simultaneously watered. Those evenings with her mom had been some of her favorite memories of that year, and the reminder that she could never join her on an evening such as she was currently having caused Kate to draw a shaky breath as she hooked her finger through her necklace and tried to reinvest herself in Castle and Alexis' conversation. Her momentary change in demeanor hadn't gone unnoticed by Castle, and he had placed a comforting hand on her thigh, squeezing lightly as she had forced a smile. Her smiles since had all been genuine, and there had been many of them at that.

Recollecting the events of the day, Kate moved closer to Castle as they walked, nestling in to his side.

"You ok?" Castle inquired, nuzzling her hair.

Looking up, Kate nodded, lightly tightening her grip on his arm.

"Just thinking," she replied as a light smile danced across her features.

"About?"

"How happy I am that we're here."

~ FIN ~

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_I hope this was worth the wait and that you, overall, enjoyed reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it! Thank you very much for all of your support throughout, whether it be through reviews, favorites or alerts – it all meant very much to me and made writing this fic a great experience! I can't wait to hear your reactions to the ending. _

_A very special thank you to my editor & fanfic mentor, IMW. I couldn't have gotten this far without you! You're sérieusement the best._


End file.
